Mistaken identity defense? Parkway shooter pleads guilty, gets life
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Ralph Leon Jackson and the scene of the crime, the overlook where Tim Davis fell after shot by Jackson.file photo by hawes spencer
Ralph Leon Jackson, 57, pleaded guilty March 23 in federal court to the murder last spring of WNRN DJ Tim Davis, 27, and the wounding of Christina Floyd, 18, as they sat at Rock Point Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway and watched the sunset on April 5. Jackson will spend the rest of his life in prison.
He told investigators the seemingly random shotgun shooting was a case of mistaken identity, and that he thought Davis was the man "messing around" with his daughter, and that he mistook Floyd for his daughter, the News Virginian reports.
The Stuarts Draft man also has blamed his murderous behavior on insanity ("I'm crazy," he told Floyd as she struggled with him for her life) and on male-enhancement medication.
After the hearing, U.S. Attorney Tim Heaphy said Jackson offered explanations to law enforcement that weren’t credible. "We found no evidence of a mental disease or defect," said Heaphy. "We can only speculate as to the motive for this awful crime."
7 comments
Personally i would say killing someone who you think is "messing around" with your daughter is evidence of a mental disease or defect. Not that that should change the outcome of this case.
Someone would have to be "insane" to kill a person, unless in self defense!!! Therefore, all killers are insane and should be sentenced to Prozac and then set free...to kill again!!!
He knew exactly what he was doing and only became "insane" when he was caught and realized the consequences of his actions. Hang em high!!!
@Logan, it's a cultural thing.
Just give this Guy the needle and put him out of our misery
At what point did this guy finally realize that the girl he was attacking was NOT his daughter? I mean, if we're really supposed to believe that excuse. Was it after he shot her point blank? After he got up close enough to her to push her over the cliff after shooting her point blank? What about when he stood over her as she clung on to the cliff, throwing rocks down at her head? Was it after her fingers were broken? Was it after she asked him why he was doing this, and he answered "Because I'm insane"? Or maybe when she ran off into the middle of the road, shot up, bloodied, barefoot with broken fingers, to flag down a motorist for help? Seriously, I wonder when he finally realized "Gee.....this isn't my daughter.....so why am I continuing to do all this?"
Mistaken identity defense?? Dat's a goot one.......
Obviously he believes his own lies, therefore he is guilty. Did he have an attorney? If so, take that attorneys name off the list.
.......and was his daughter indeed "messing around"?
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