Murder defendant: Killings helped victims' son (he thought his Sister & BIL were too liberal)

[Kadie]

Murder defendant: Killings helped victims' son
Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

(10-14) 11:36 PDT EL CERRITO -- The man accused of fatally stabbing and bludgeoning his sister and her husband in El Cerrito said in court today that the couple's son had "cleaned up his life" since his parents were "eliminated."

"How's your life been since all this happened?" Edward Wycoff, 40, who is acting as his own attorney, asked his nephew, 20-year-old Eric Rogers, during cross-examination in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez.

"Incredibly difficult," Rogers said, looking squarely at his uncle.

The exchange came moments after Wycoff greeted his nephew by saying, "Hello Eric." Rogers simply nodded.

Wycoff is accused of killing Rogers' parents, Paul Rogers, 48, and Julie Wycoff Rogers, 47, on New Year's Eve 2006 at their home on Rifle Range Road.

Authorities say Wycoff killed the couple because he thought they were too liberal, were raising their children wrong and because they hadn't invited him over for Christmas. If convicted of murder with special circumstances, Wycoff could be sentenced to death.

snip...
When Kennedy asked, in the jury's presence, whether he wanted to explain the relevancy, Wycoff said, "Yes, I'll tell you why. The parents raised these kids wrong. Since the parents were eliminated, I think Eric has cleaned up his life."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/14/BAGO1A5GMH.DTL&tsp=1#ixzz0TwFL4sLT

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. You think, maybe the murder of his parents forced him to grow up, fast?

What a solution. That kid living in his parents' basement playing video games? Get him out in the real world - Kill his parents.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Wonder what this guy's religious beliefs entail? Does he think he's morally better and therefore has

the right to 'eliminate' those that raise their own kids as they like?

[kestrel91316]

5. My money is on him being a bible-beating christofascist, and birther to boot.

[kestrel91316]

3. Prediction: Conviction. Death penalty.

[Angry Dragon]

7. That would only be just...n/t

[Sinti]

8. Yes, we hate killing so we kill killers - it's highly effective

You can see the murder rate is nearly zero. Sorry for being snarky. I know you truly mean to have a society without any kind of murder in it, I'm just dumbstruck by the doing the same thing expecting different results aspect of the death penalty. Prison, for life, no parole - and only imprison dangerous people.

[ljm2002]

4. How he got past a sanity hearing...

...is beyond me. Now he is acting as his own attorney, and that poor young man had to sit in the witness box and be questioned by the large, intimidating man who killed the boy's parents. Good on him for having the courage to go through with it.

Mr. Wycoff is clearly criminally insane and needs to be kept off the streets forever. Throw away the key.

There is not much doubt he'll be convicted. I wonder what the jury thinks of this circus -- I doubt their sympathies lie with the defendant here.

[gratuitous]

6. Attorney Wycoff has a fool for a client

But he'll soon have no more worries about where he'll sleep at night or where his next meal is coming from.