Police: College Student Charged With Killing Parents Said 'God Told Me To'

[TomClash]

Police: College Student Charged With Killing Parents Said 'God Told Me To'

By Bill Poovey Associated Press Writer
Published: Dec 11, 2004



CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - A college student who admitted he fatally shot his parents in their bedroom and broke a chain saw cutting up their bodies told investigators: "God told me to." Philip Badowski made the comment in a recorded interview with police following the Dec. 2 slayings of Chester "Chet" Badowski Jr., 47, and Christine Badowski, 46. Prosecutors played the recording at Badowski's preliminary hearing Friday.

<snip>

Badowski, 22, a student at Chattanooga State Technical Community College, sobbed at times during the recorded interview and at one point asked: "I'm not dreaming this whole thing, am I?"

He said the killings were "spur of the moment" after his parents scolded him when they returned from a weeklong mission trip to Haiti, where they volunteered drilling wells.

"I was pretty mad for what they were saying. They were cussing and calling me bad names because I had some friends over while they were out of town," he said in the interview.

<snip>

Investigators went to the house to check on the couple after they failed to show up at their jobs. Badowski told police that his parents were out of town, but officers unlocked a bedroom door and found the bodies, according to the police report.

Christine Badowski had been decapitated and her arms and legs were cut off, investigators said. Chet Badowski's legs had been cut before the saw broke.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBEUBN5M2E.html

[aquart]

1. Not unlike George.

[genius]

15. This is Billy Graham's God. He does that sort of thing.

[w4rma]

21. Falwell's and Robertson's god. (nt)

[The Zanti Regent]

28. He made my only child suffer in agony before he died.

An Iraqui bullet in the spinal cord, months laying in agony before death released him.

My only child.

Where are you God? Where are you? If you really exist, why do you let this happen?

Why do you give Bush a blank check? WHY?

[luaneryder]

32. Mine did not suffer

so long, just until he was transported to the hospital with his chest crushed. My bumper sticker reads, "I prayed...my son died anyway." How many times have I been told that my prayer was not earnest enough? Plenty. Or that I asked and God said NO.

[Straight Shooter]

39. When the prayers of the faithful are the prayers of a fool

Partial lyrics from "Prayers of a Fool"


Deep in a battle is a soldier
Who keeps the faith amidst the strife
He still thanks God for all his blessings
And most of all, his pregnant wife
He prays to heaven for protection
“Please send the angels to be at my side”
But no sooner are his words spoken
Than a bullet ends his life

When the prayers of the faithful reach across time and space
Will God turn and listen, or simply turn away?
There are humans who go through trials
Even the angels could not endure
When the prayers of the faithful
Are the prayers of a fool

No, you can’t blame a human for believing God is cruel
When the prayers of the faithful
Are the prayers of a fool

Not to say that those who pray are fools, it's just that as we bare our souls and beg for mercy that our loved ones will be spared, it often seems as though God thinks of us as fools.

[luaneryder]

40. Thank you for that SS

I'll be remembering that last line of the poem and will be looking it up to read in its entirety.

[ninkasi]

42. For you, and for the Zanti Regent

my heartfelt sympathy and hopes that your wounds will someday become bearable. I have been getting more and more depressed, and more and more sad, at the thought of what this reptile Bush and his cronies are doing to people all over the world.

It is a grave sin that he sends your sons to suffer and die, all to satisfy his desire to have "his" war. I can only pray that someday, the bloodthirsty god he claims to worship, will repay him a thousand times over for all the agony he has caused you, and countless others, to suffer. My thoughts go out to you.

[Mari333]

45. (((((((((((((((((to both of you)))))))))))))))))))))))

[Just Me]

48. God does not create hell,...human beings do.

"Reality" is a human creation,...by and through the "God" within us.

When we recognize "God" within,...we will stop this insanity.

Don't blame "God". Don't blame yourself.

Go forward with the noble compassion you hold.

Know that there are so many who hold that compassion, as well.

[OutsourceBush]

49. If there is a god, he has very little control of what happens

in this F'd up world. Hopefully, if there is a god he has more control of the wonderful after-life, and doesn't handle is like a middle manager over his head with the last name of *Bush*.

[rainbow4321]

57. Repukes revision of The 10 Commandments...

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Hey, if he says God told him to do it, who are we to argue?

I mean, Chimpy McFucktard said God told him to invade Iraq and he did and nobody on the right is complaining or calling him a whackjob.

[Bono71]

3. Serious question, is Chimpy McFucktard

the same guy as Liar O'Shitforbrains?

When you think about it, you never see them in the same place at the same time, do you?

[Liberal Veteran]

5. It depends on which of the Village People he is dressed like...

...for his daily photo op.

[indepat]

16. Right on: Should not everyone be able to rely upon God's words/directions/

will for we can't be selective in who is able to act in accordance with God'swill and who can't, now can we?

[ambidextrous]

72. Please Show Me the Article

Please show me a legit news story where Bush said "God told me to invade Iraq". I've been looking for one like that and can't seem to find any. I want to add it to my "OMG it's George" collection.

[silverweb]

74. Here's one exact quote.

"God told me to strike at al- Qaida, and I struck them," Bush declared. "And then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did."

http://www.citizen-times.com/cache/article/editorial/69953.shtml

[donheld]

76. Welcome to DU ambidextrous

:hi:

[Make7]

4. Perhaps they could charge God as an accomplice. n/t

[PartyPooper]

6. God sure speaks in "mysterious ways", doesn't He?

:eyes:

[luaneryder]

7. How many of these

"God made me do it" killings does this make in recent months?

[WildClarySage]

50. Well, God's been busy, hasn't he...

[RPM]

8. Hmmmmm - Religious Killing Statutes???

Religious motivated (not I killed him because he is _____, but I killed him because god said so) killings have been getting more attention laterly. Perhaps it is time to pass statutes that increase the punishment for killings based on such circumstances (not god actually telling the person, but the person using religious justification)

In a perfect world, we could haul God in as an accomplice or co-conspirator. But I'd be just as happy having the jeebus-freaks who kill at god's behest fester in prison a bit longer....

[Laurab]

52. Religous Killing Statutes ??

Just a few years too late - imagine, if we had them, how much trouble * & his buddies would be in now.

[RPM]

67. welcome to DU..... n/t

[donheld]

77. Welcome to DU Laurab

:hi:

[genieroze]

9. Flip Wilson would always say "The Devil Made Me Do It". eom

[Deja Q]

10. And yet shrubbykins* is still allowed outside. Sad.

[TomClash]

11. He asked himself . . .

"What would Jesus do?" And he thought Jesus replied, "Get out the chainsaw and rifle."

Well, ya can't have a red state without blood now can ya?

[acmavm]

12. How long before the Supreme Court rules that the 'God made me do it'

is a legitimate defense for fundies and fruitcakes?

[TahitiNut]

13. Didn't the chain saw have a warranty?

Did the warranty specifically exclude "cutting up the bodies of your parents"?? Gee, I think the company should reimburse this poor fellow.

:eyes: :puke: :eyes:

[sonicx]

14. Let's call this the 'George Bush' defense

[snippy]

33. I have called it the Bush defense for some time now.

Really pisses off some republicans.

[NYC Liberal]

17. "Thou shalt not kill."

Funny how people always forget that one.

[spanone]

19. Well, people seem to forget the the Ten Commandments

didn't have asteriks after 'Thou Shalt Not Kill'. It didn't say *except in war or *except when state sponsored or *except when politically expedient.

[NYC Liberal]

34. Reminds me of that old 'Onion' article.

NEW YORK—Responding to recent events on Earth, God, the omniscient creator-deity worshipped by billions of followers of various faiths for more than 6,000 years, angrily clarified His longtime stance against humans killing each other Monday.

"Look, I don't know, maybe I haven't made myself completely clear, so for the record, here it is again," said the Lord, His divine face betraying visible emotion during a press conference near the site of the fallen Twin Towers. "Somehow, people keep coming up with the idea that I want them to kill their neighbor. Well, I don't. And to be honest, I'm really getting sick and tired of it. Get it straight. Not only do I not want anybody to kill anyone, but I specifically commanded you not to, in really simple terms that anybody ought to be able to understand."

Worshipped by Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike, God said His name has been invoked countless times over the centuries as a reason to kill in what He called "an unending cycle of violence."

"I don't care how holy somebody claims to be," God said. "If a person tells you it's My will that they kill someone, they're wrong. Got it? I don't care what religion you are, or who you think your enemy is, here it is one more time: No killing, in My name or anyone else's, ever again."

The press conference came as a surprise to humankind, as God rarely intervenes in earthly affairs. As a matter of longstanding policy, He has traditionally left the task of interpreting His message and divine will to clerics, rabbis, priests, imams, and Biblical scholars. Theologians and laymen alike have been given the task of pondering His ineffable mysteries, deciding for themselves what to do as a matter of faith. His decision to manifest on the material plane was motivated by the deep sense of shock, outrage, and sorrow He felt over the Sept. 11 violence carried out in His name, and over its dire potential ramifications around the globe.

"I tried to put it in the simplest possible terms for you people, so you'd get it straight, because I thought it was pretty important," said God, called Yahweh and Allah respectively in the Judaic and Muslim traditions. "I guess I figured I'd left no real room for confusion after putting it in a four-word sentence with one-syllable words, on the tablets I gave to Moses. How much more clear can I get?"

"But somehow, it all gets twisted around and, next thing you know, somebody's spouting off some nonsense about, 'God says I have to kill this guy, God wants me to kill that guy, it's God's will,'" God continued. "It's not God's will, all right? News flash: 'God's will' equals 'Don't murder people.'"

The Onion is more credible than most of the MSM these days.

[tsuki]

43. Or when God tells you to.

[Art_from_Ark]

60. And "the LORD" told Moses to kill some guy for picking up sticks

Numbers 15:32-36

"When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses, Aaron, and to the whole congregation. They put him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him outside the camp." The whole congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death, just as the LORD had commanded Moses."

[oneighty]

27. Unless God tells you to do so.

Then it is cool.

180

[spanone]

18. Ashcroft would be proud. Stand-up Citizen. Good Christian Morals.

[Gyre]

20. All the religious nutjobs I get to deal with

happen to be "Christian" criminals. Amazing how many get religion in the county jail, right before sentencing. The more likely they are to go to prison, the more vehiment their "conversion". Funny how that works. :)

Gyre

[The Backlash Cometh]

22. Um, and exactly what church does this child go to? Hmmm?

Wheeh, dodged another bullet.

[fshrink]

23. The gory details sure have a biblical flavor. nt

[VegasWolf]

24. Once you wholeheartedly believe in invisible men, you're halfway there.n/t

[VegasWolf]

25. He should use the Iraq defense, "God told me they had oil" n/t

[FizzFuzz]

26. "Congregation shall rise

except for you whose children have obediently sawed off your legs", said the Hon. Rev. Shitstain.

[daleo]

29. There isn't that much detail in the article about the religion involved

Just that the parents were coming back from a mission trip to Haiti, and that this young man claimed God told him to kill his parents. It will be interesting to see if he had a history of mental health problems, and also how far out the religious training was. Still, between "Thou shalt not kill" and "Honor thy mother and father", he should have been a bit suspicious about identity of the God he was hearing. He might have been truly delusional though.

I wonder what he was studying at college? Not forestry, I hope.

[WildClarySage]

51. If so, he's gonna need a new chainsaw.

[PurityOfEssence]

54. The media consistently ducks the specifics of the religion element

Religion's good; they can't be going around giving anybody the wrong idea. It's good; it doesn't matter how many horrible things are done in the frenzy of faith. It can be completely disavowed, because only good things flow from god; bad things aren't helped along or fostered by believing in the supernatural. Believing in magic and such doesn't mess with the concept of reality, and it certainly doesn't keep one or one's worried friends from seeking help.

Nope. Nothing to do with it.

There's a pretty consistent pattern to these things: there's either a very glancing reference to religion or none at all in the first reporting of things like this; only later do we find out more of the pervasiveness of the god-element. In this one, as in similar ones, the god issue is the prime motivator (or claimed to be such) so it has to be in the story. Specifics beyond that tend to come out later.

[FizzFuzz]

65. compare that to the ubiquitous focus on religion (esp. christian faith)

in the mainstream media. Specials constantly on the cover of Time and Newsweek. Probably all over TV too, though I don't watch enough to be able to say for sure. Constant uncritical emphasis to make sure that Jesus is in the forefront of ALLLL our minds.

[Benhurst]

30. No wonder the world is in such bad shape. God is spending

far too much time talking with George Bush and other nuts like this.

[Forkboy]

31. God told me not to believe in Him

[drscm]

35. *Bush to choose him for cabinet post...

Actually, this is so sad.

[amandabeech]

36. This could be schizophrenia or the manic phase of bipolar disorder.

One classic symptom of schizophrenia is the hearing of voices directing the sufferer to do various deeds. Killing is one of them.

I'm not ready to blame fundamentalist Christianity for this one absent thorough psychiatric examination.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

56. yeah-now yer talkin--let him off -no punishment-have sympathy on him

and give him drugs, not sentencing--
the poor poor man,
he was ill
let's forgive him and send him some candy and flowers at the mental hospital.

[fshrink]

59. I have to remind you that there are in this country

schizophrenics sentenced to death and who have to be medicated and relatively free of symptoms to be executed. That should go in your direction of "sympathy". Besides, that was not even the point. The person was arguing that the cause of the act was perhaps to be sought in a mental condition rather than in a religious belief. To which I would answer that religious beliefs very often come extremely close to a mental condition.

[amandabeech]

66. Thank you, fshrink.

I was so angry at the callousness of the previous reply that my answer would have been out-of-bounds.

That a mental condition rather than religion might be the cause of the victim's actions and statements is exactly what I was trying to say.

And yes, sometimes I do wonder about some who seem to be caught up in bizarre religious beliefs.

The seriously mentally ill criminals ordinarily should not be in a standard prison, IMHO, even when medicated, because the medication only removes some of their symptoms, and those remaining would be and are a problem for them and for the wardens. I favor secure psychiatric facilities instead.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

73. And Thank you Amanda-you say you're angry? bet the "victims" would be too

if they heard you defending their killer.
Your anger at the "callousness" as you call it is astounding.
Isn't it callous to think less of the victim than the perpetrator?
Don't you think that most violent offenders are mentally imbalanced to some degree?
Where do you draw the line between those with "some" restraint and those with "a little less" self restraint" and those with absolutely "no" self restraint?
read my post.
the point is "restraint"-
You admit you're angry but you probably (i hope) understand self "restraint" and don't go looking to gun me down.
Well some folks, not necessarily by choice, have little or no restraint when it comes to "expressing" their anger. They will act out without consideration of consequences.
And I'm sure you'd have to agree that consideration of consequences is the ONLY thing that keeps many people obeying the laws.
When criminals or mentally ill show lack of restraint then someone has to step in and restrain them (sometimes permanently).
Mental health facilities aren't always equipped to take in mass murderers who may harm the other non violent patients.
And technically you could place ALL violent offenders and murderers in mental health facilities because violently assaulting someone or killing someone in itself is not "sane".
So where do you draw the line and who draws the line?
I say protection for the citizens come first, then consideration of the comfort of the criminal.
Maybe sometimes even the mentally imbalanced need a little slap on the wrist.
It seems alot of "sane" people do.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

71. There U ARE !! Thanks for your post! I knew ya'll were around! let him go

pre medicated murder---> no sentence
let me remind you about
the ancient debate over prisons---
ARE THEY FOR
--- 1) Rehabilitaion
or 2) Punishment

Which is it ???
Is the function of prison To get DANGEROUS people "off the streets"
or is it to "punish" DANGEROUS PEOPLE?

Regardless of the answer, the result is always removing them from the general population and thus "protecting" innocent people.

Now, with all the damn sympathy of a Saint,
don't these DANGEROUS pre medicated murderers NEED TO BE REMOVED from those whom may suffer as a result of their irrational behavior?

if you say YES, are you "against" the "mentally ill" ?
I'll answer that for you,
NO.
if you say "NO"
then I challenge you to start an exchange program and all the "no's "can take turns letting them stay in their guest rooms for short stays--you know, to help them--

Does it make sense to medicate them and let them go after a short stay at a mental facility?
What if, as many do, they decide one day to stop taking their prescritions (or they just run out and don't refill them)
Whamo--another dangerous irrational person to cross someone's path

by the way almost all violent offenders could be considered mentally deranged is some degree if they have the "lack of restraint" and lash out.
We all would like to tear someone's head off at some point in our development--there's a difference is thinking it and doing it--it's called restraint and I agree, some folks just need help in restraint.

I might add, if you're AGANST the invasion of IRAQ are you against the troops?

THANKS for stopping in and promoting your beliefs that favor mentally ill people.
I'm sort of grasping that concept (but don't agree)that if they're sick what they do doesn't count really.
(at least as long as it's not you they get or someone you love like your kids)
if that happens then the tune always changes 100% of the time--guaranteed

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

37. God telling people to murder is becoming an epidemic

[bobthedrummer]

41. So is the ideology of "kill them all and let God sort it out"

that's the Rumsfeld DoD protocol imo

[karlrschneider]

38. He'll beg for mercy because he's an orphan.

:eyes:

[MostlyBlackCat2]

44. They weren't fundamentalists

As much as everyone seems to want this to be another case of right wing religion gone awry, they were just run of the mill Catholics.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_59494.asp

Perhaps the kid did have a mental health problem or even a drug problem.

[mitchum]

46. Kicking this for religous delusions...

because it's a very fine line between "having God talk to you" and being batshit crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy

[aikido15]

47. Ah...

The "God" thing again...lovely.

[PurityOfEssence]

53. Boy, that god guy's getting REALLY out-of-line

He just causes all sorts of trouble. Someone oughta do something about him.

[Tight_rope]

63. Ever since God started talking to Bush*...people use it as excuse to kill

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

55. who's more mental-the SUV lady who ran over the kids or Tenn Chainsaw

Masacre?

Where's all those bleeding hearts today?
Come on, I know you're here
Some of these posters on this particular thread were SO in favor of sympathy on another thread for the poor poor woman who ran over those little kids and smoked a cigarette.
Since she was "mentally ill" --how DARE any of us pass judgement--
There so just so many who wanted "sympathy" for the SUV lady because she was "ill".

WELL,
I ASK again,

Who's more "mentally twisted"(or ill with a sickness)?

A) The Tennessee Chainsaw Massacre College Student
or
B) the Florida SUV Cigarette lady

And, if all that "sympathy" went out for the Florida Cigarette lady,
then why not even "more" for a premeditated chainsaw killer(or should I say pre-medicated)

I guess that's like asking who's more "macho"--Chimpy or a transvestite--a toss up

So lt's hear it for letting him off and giving him some drugs--who's with me?

I mean it-
GOD would want it-he told the guy to do it !

[Seldona]

58. He is either lying or mentally ill.

Schizophrenia is a horrible disease.

I had a lifelong friend who suffered from it about half his life.

Could not work, or even handle people most days.

Funny thing is that when he could handle people, he was nothing but laughs.

And the man could write a poem.

Anyway if he is mentally ill, he should get all the help he can get.

If not... frying time.

Poor family.

[Piperay]

61. All of this 'God told me to' is

just bullshit. I think these people are just mouthing this stuff because they know that the country is being led by a RW fundy regime and think they can get off with that excuse. x(

[Tight_rope]

62. ennnnnnnn....They've started ehn....den go no...make en dee be dear.

[kayell]

64. More details

http://www.newschannel9.com/vnews/topstories/1102724042

Sounds to me like he's trying to create a half-assed insanity defense.

[mainer]

68. Another cutting off of limbs in "God-made-me-do-it" killings?

There was that mother who cut off her baby's arms because God made her do it. Do i detect a theme here?

[socrates42]

69. Moving Forward

Dems need to figure out a way to give big attention to these stories w/o being seen as anti-religious. Any suggestions?

[AngryOldDem]

70. Nope....

...except maybe to recognize that religion can be used as an excuse for mentally ill/criminal behavior just as much as eating too many Twinkies, heavy metal music, and hearing messages from dogs, etc. have been used to explain murderous actions. Anything can be used to explain the inexplicable.

But hey...never miss a chance to trash religion! Frankly, I see progress here in that neither the Pope nor Roman Catholicism have entered into the discussion. Yet.

[donheld]

78. Welcome to DU socrates42

[Lydia Leftcoast]

75. Before you all go off on your self-righteous rants,

haven't any of you ever heard of the symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia?

They include voices telling you to do horrible things. Some people identify the voices as God, others as the devil, others as a voice coming out of their toaster.

The kid is no garden-variety Christian, not even a garden-variety fundamentalist--and I don't even like fundamentlists, but they don't ordinarily go around chopping up their parents.