MMA fighter rips out his friend's heart

[Xem]

Some may have heard of this, especially if anyone has friends involved in MMA-style fighting like me (sadly). But after a few days after hearing about it, it still hasn't left my mind, so in a selfish attempt to help my psyche I figured I'd start a topic here.... I've had a very close friend of mine, who is now diagnosed (and permanently locked up in a mental hospital) as a psychotic schizophrenic, try to kill me before... luckily I only ended up with a stomach scar and no feeling left in my left index finger! =)

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/05/31/2010-05-31_mma_fighter_jarrod_wyatt_allegedly_ripped_out_training_partner_taylor_powells_he.html

A California judge upheld charges of murder against a mixed martial arts fighter on Friday after the man allegedly cut the victim's heart out of his chest.

Mixed martial arts fighter Jarrod Wyatt, 26, was reportedly under the influence of psychedelic drugs when witnesses said he and his sparring partner, Taylor Powell, became preoccupied with the notion that the end of the world was near and that there would be a final struggle between God and the devil, the Times-Standard reports.

Del Norte County Police Sgt. Elwood Lee, who responded to the incident early March 21, said that Wyatt told him at the scene that he saw the devil in Powell's face and that "'Satan was in that dude.'" He allegedly cut an 18-inch hole in Powell's chest, removed his heart, cut his tongue off and removed a majority of Powell's face.

Lee also said that Wyatt admitted he had cooked the body parts in a wood stove at the Klamath residence because he thought that Powell was still alive and that he needed to "stop the devil."

"At one point," Lee said in court, "[Wyatt] asked if we were God, or if we were God coming to save him."

Detective Ed Fleshman, who testified that he spoke with Wyatt in a holding cell later that morning, said that Wyatt told him that he, Powell and two other friends had drunk hallucinogenic mushroom tea prior to the incident.

When one friend, Justin Davis, tried to leave the scene, Wyatt reportedly tried to stop him, saying that a tidal wave was coming. Davis left to go to nearby Crescent City but returned later to get his dog, when he saw a struggle ensuing in the living room and proceeded to call 911.

Wyatt's ex-girlfriend, Billy Jo Bailey, was also at the scene and said that she noticed a change in Powell's behavior after drinking the tea. Powell reportedly told Wyatt "You wanna f---ing die" three times before the two started to fight.

In addition to counts of aggravated mayhem and torture, Wyatt faces a first-degree murder charge in the incident. Whether the murder charge will stand, however, depends on premeditation -- whether Wyatt acted with "malice aforethought."

James Fallman, Wyatt's defense attorney, argued that Wyatt was having a psychotic break and therefore had no control over his actions.

"My client was trying to silence the devil," Fallman said.

However, prosecutors argue that the act of removing Powell's heart, tongue and face took enough time to prove evidence of intent.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/05/31/2010-05-31_mma_fighter_jarrod_wyatt_allegedly_ripped_out_training_partner_taylor_powells_he.html#ixzz0qU7lygvz

If you'd ask me, I'd say both Powell and Wyatt were crazy. Regardless of the drugs, which I'm sure encouraged the act, these two probably would have tried to have some "epic end of the world battle" at some point anyway. While Wyatt is obviously bat-shit crazy, I think he needs serious psychological help, not the death penalty - which he'll probably get.

 

[Aazealh]

Classic psychedelic drug story. I feel bad for everyone involved, but there's a reason these drugs are illegal... As for mentally unstable people in general, they're unfortunately not easily detected or well handled in general, regardless of where they are.

 

[Xem]

Classic psychedelic drug story. I feel bad for everyone involved, but there's a reason these drugs are illegal... As for mentally unstable people in general, they're unfortunately not easily detected or well handled in general, regardless of where they are.

Can you really pin all of this on the drugs though? Millions, if not billions, of people do psychedelic drugs every day and this type of gruesome violence rarely happens. I'd say the drugs were just the breaking point, this behavior was bound to happen sooner or later.

As for the mentally unstable not being easily recognizable... yeah, this is true. Though I can almost guarantee that it should've been recognized in this case. The girlfriend as well as the other friend who left both noted a problem before this happened. I bet though, just like in my case, because they were friends they didn't do anything about it until it was too late. The fact the two involved in the crime were so preoccupied by the whole "end of the world" scenario at the start is a clear indicator. Sure, they were on hallucinogens, but to be that passionate about it they obviously we're disconnected from reality to begin with.

Also, the article I linked doesn't even begin to give the really grisly details. There was a lot of work put into this crime, it wasn't just some random gruesome killing. He put a lot of work into it, I'm willing to bet he had been waiting for an opportunity like this to arise.

 

[Aazealh]

Can you really pin all of this on the drugs though? Millions, if not billions, of people do psychedelic drugs every day and this type of gruesome violence rarely happens. I'd say the drugs were just the breaking point, this behavior was bound to happen sooner or later.

I don't think he would have cut his friend's heart out, removed his face and then cooked his body parts in a wood stove in order to "stop the devil" if he hadn't taken these drugs, no. So while the guy maybe had a predisposition to violent and irrational behavior, I'm still going to blame most of it on the drugs.

As for the mentally unstable not being easily recognizable... yeah, this is true. Though I can almost guarantee that it should've been recognized in this case. The girlfriend as well as the other friend who left both noted a problem before this happened.

They noted a problem after the guys took drugs... It's not the same thing at all. I was talking about people who have genuine problems, not ones provoked by various substances. Don't try to excuse the drugs here dude because they're clearly responsible. It begs the question of whether or not your "friend" was under the influence of something when he allegedly tried to kill you. Don't make an amalgam of everything just to relate the two cases.

Also, the article I linked doesn't even begin to give the really grisly details. There was a lot of work put into this crime, it wasn't just some random gruesome killing. He put a lot of work into it, I'm willing to bet he had been waiting for an opportunity like this to arise.

I don't see anything that could make us think it was premeditated. The two of them were rambling about stupid shit in the morning, then they took drugs and one guy did all sorts of crazy shit because he thought his friend had become The Devil. There's no rhyme or reason to it, just like those cases where a teen on PCP kills their friend or a cop has to empty his magazine on a junkie before he stops strangling someone.

 

[Griffith]

Millions, if not billions, of people do psychedelic drugs every day and this type of gruesome violence rarely happens.

If not trillions!

 

[Bekul]

Man, I do trillions of psychedelic drugs every day!

And I'm perfectly normal!

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

 

[Truder]

If not trillions!

There's only 6,800,000,000 people on earth, are you counting your imaginary buddies too?

Man, I do trillions of psychedelic drugs every day!

And I'm perfectly normal!

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn!

I concur

 

[Aazealh]

wow, there's only 6,800,000,000 people on earth, are you counting your imaginary buddies too?

I can tell you're a sharp one.

 

[Vampire_Hunter_Bob]

Guys I think we all need to remember drugs are bad, mkay?

wow, there's only 6,800,000,000 people on earth, are you counting your imaginary buddies too?

Wow it's like he was making fun of someone or something!

 

[Eluvei]

I'm quite sure there are more LSD users than coffee drinkers in the world guys

 

[Rhombaad]

I'm quite sure there are more LSD users than coffee drinkers in the world guys

They're about equal in Seattle.

What a horrible story, though. I've never heard of a bad trip resulting in this before, but I have heard some strange shit from friends who have dropped acid or eaten some really bad mushrooms. Hell, just the other day a guy on the radio said he assaulted two cops while on hallucinogens because he thought they were demons dragging him down to hell. I think I'll stick with beer and the occasional cup of coffee for now.

 

[Johnstantine]

Such a heart-wrenching story.

 

[Griffith]

 

[Gobolatula]

Griffith you beautiful bastard...

 

[Konketsuji]

Guys I think we all need to remember drugs are bad, mkay?

Wow it's like he was making fun of someone or something!

Jesus! I thought it was a made up story when I read it in the Walking Dead. I guess Kirkman just used this event to make his series more realistic, now this story seems even more creepy.

 

[spineylamb]

The drugs don't make you suddenly more evil or crazy, the mindset the person is in when they take the hallucinogenic is very important.

Just like there are these horror stories, there are also a lot of positive (especially spiritual) experiences with hallucinogenics (obviously not covered by the news), and they've been inspirational to many people.
Sadly, I think most of society is too irresponsible (and I want to say stupid, but it's more a matter of having the right interest), so it's easier to keep ignorant and afraid of something so potent. It's sort of true, since alot of people want to treat it like a throw-away cheap thrill.

Speaking of entertainment, hopefully the documentary-movie coming out will be educational (not too many people know that our own brain makes its own type of hallucinogenic, and it's barely been researched BECAUSE it is illegal. The best part about it? It's most likely produced in the pineal gland, the supposed "third eye". Another understudied subject).

 

[Griffith]

The drugs don't make you suddenly more evil or crazy, the mindset the person is in when they take the hallucinogenic is very important.

Oh yes, they can just cause you to act on it, much different.

Just like there are these horror stories, there are also a lot of positive (especially spiritual) experiences with hallucinogenics (obviously not covered by the news), and they've been inspirational to many people.

Lots of stories to lots of people, huh? Well, I'm convinced. The same can be said about church.

Sadly, I think most of society is too irresponsible (and I want to say stupid, but it's more a matter of having the right interest), so it's easier to keep ignorant and afraid of something so potent. It's sort of true, since alot of people want to treat it like a throw-away cheap thrill.

It's also ignorant to sugarcoat the dangers of volatile mind altering drugs. Just sayin'.

 

[Aazealh]

The drugs don't make you suddenly more evil or crazy, the mindset the person is in when they take the hallucinogenic is very important.

Just like there are these horror stories, there are also a lot of positive (especially spiritual) experiences with hallucinogenics (obviously not covered by the news), and they've been inspirational to many people.

You sure like 'em drugs, eh? Drugs don't kill people, people do!

Sadly, I think most of society is too irresponsible (and I want to say stupid, but it's more a matter of having the right interest), so it's easier to keep ignorant and afraid of something so potent. It's sort of true, since alot of people want to treat it like a throw-away cheap thrill.

As opposed to the responsible people for whom it's a way of life and who use them for higher purposes.

Speaking of entertainment, hopefully the documentary-movie coming out will be educational (not too many people know that our own brain makes its own type of hallucinogenic, and it's barely been researched BECAUSE it is illegal. The best part about it? It's most likely produced in the pineal gland, the supposed "third eye". Another understudied subject).

The Man wants to keep us down! The government's hiding the truth to keep us from our God given right to use drugs! Spread the word!

 

[Vampire_Hunter_Bob]

Just like there are these horror stories, there are also a lot of positive (especially spiritual) experiences with hallucinogenics (obviously not covered by the news), and they've been inspirational to many people.

Oh really? I think Native Americans would disagree on what would be used for spiritual reasons, since they used tobacco for their religious worship. Yeah tobacco, not hallucinogens.

Sadly, I think most of society is too irresponsible (and I want to say stupid, but it's more a matter of having the right interest), so it's easier to keep ignorant and afraid of something so potent. It's sort of true, since alot of people want to treat it like a throw-away cheap thrill.

Probably because the majority of drugs are nothing else other than an expansive thrill.

 

[MrWeatherby]

"At one point," Lee said in court, "[Wyatt] asked if we were God, or if we were God coming to save him."

Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"!

 

[Lithrael]

Speaking of entertainment, hopefully the documentary-movie coming out will be educational (not too many people know that our own brain makes its own type of hallucinogenic, and it's barely been researched BECAUSE it is illegal. The best part about it? It's most likely produced in the pineal gland, the supposed "third eye". Another understudied subject).

I'll quote from another board I frequent:

"Not only is there not a shred of reliable evidence that DMT is produced and present in human brain, but available robust evidence doesn't support this hypothesis. (...) Concerning the putative roles of DMT 'in nature', they obviously are varied, depending on the kingdom considered. In animals only minute traces have been evidenced thus far, and its role remains as elusive as its concentration in tissues."

http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?postid=1582182#post1582182 if anyone's interested in the subject. The fellow writing, btw, is not against hallucinogenics at all, he just is a big fan of biochemisty.