Accused killer researched Lorena Bobbitt

BY Thomas Zambito

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, September 22nd 2009, 4:00 AM

Accused killer Brigitte Harris told Queens jurors Monday that she researched Lorena Bobbitt's 1993 castration of her husband before taking revenge on her abusive father.

Harris, 29, took the witness stand in her murder trial yesterday to rebut prosecution claims that she intended to kill her father, Eric Goodridge, 55, during a July 2007 assault in her Rockaway apartment.

Prosecutors say Harris handcuffed Goodridge to a chair and then surgically removed his penis with a scalpel she bought online. She then turned on the stove to destroy the evidence because she recalled how doctors reattached John Bobbitt's severed penis.

Under questioning by defense attorney Arthur Aidala, Harris said she only meant to dismember her father. "Just know I'm doing this because I know he's not gonna change," Harris said in a videotape recorded days before the attack.

Aidala said Harris acted after finding out that Goodridge intended to take her nieces back to her native Liberia, where she said she was abused since the age of 3.

Here is a link with more details. Interesting story.

http://www.silive.com/news/advance/inde ... xml&coll=1

Ouch!!!

Ms. Harris said she first tried to sever his penis with a pair of scissors, but "they didn't work." She then used a scalpel to cut it off, she said, and in a panic threw it on the stove and turned on the flames.

I just read a few articles I found on the web about her... Every time I read a story like this I get angry, very dissappointed with the "justice system" in this country.

I would post the stories and links, but it would make my posting too long, if you want to know more about this woman just do a search for "Brigitte Harris" and you will find lots of hits on the story. Like this:

http://www.aidalalaw.com/html/brigitte_harris.html

http://www.frontpageafrica.com/newsmana ... asp?a=4771

And a few hundred more... etc.

I understand the state prosecutor's point, simply put, what Brigitte Harris intentionally did resulted in the death of her father. But what gets me VERY angry and dissappointed in the "justice system" in this country is that the motivation, the reasoning, the state of mind of the perpetrator is often overlooked or at the very least "given the short schrift" in the trial. Especially when it comes to what the media calls "vigillante justice."

After reading a few articles on this woman, I personally do NOT support any prosecution what-so-ever against her. She needs ONLY some reasonable mental health care and then should be released, that is my opinion, and I am very well aware of the fact that many here will bitterly disagree with me, but that is my opinion and I am sticking to it!

What really gets me angry about this case is simply this, BEFORE Ms. Harris ever did any criminal acts, she told a counsellor in NYC of her abused past, and that initiated and investigation of her father.... and that investigation was never completed, no charges, no justice. I guess the state could not afford to take care of one of it's citizen's at that point, just not enough money in the coffers to track down an abuser... Yet NOW, now there is plenty of money to prosecute Ms. Harris, the state can come up with money to prosecute anyone who is poor, or who committs an act that is likely to get some press coverage. Oh yes, the state has lots of money to fund some crusading prosecutor to go after a person who gets the attention of the media, but when it comes to some other crimes, crimes that don't make the headlines but utterly destroy an innocent person's life... well, there is just not enough money to go after those criminals.

P.S. (After actually thinking a bit about what I wrote...)

Upon further reflection, I think my first tempemental tirade against the justice system in this country needs to be reined in a bit.

I thought about when the alleged abuse on Brigitte Harris occured (i.e. when she was 3-16 years old - more than ten years ago), and where it occured (i.e. Liberia). And though it is NOT justice, it is the law of this land, not Liberia, so even if that initial investigation had been given the full and best efforts by the U.S. authorities, there would be little if anything that could be legally done.

Sorry, I was wrong in my initial tirade. Ms Harris has made allegations that her father abused her, and that is NOT the same as actual proof of his guilt, and even if he was guilty of these things (I do still believe that he probably was guilty), it is probable that the crimes occured out of U.S. juristiction, and the crimes that did occur within U.S. juristiction were long enough ago that the statute of limitations has run out on them.

I guess when I accurately look at myself, I have to admit I have become a "grouchy old man" in many ways. This case just inflamed my anger so much, because I see a person who is NOT wealthy or famous, being essentially railroaded into prison for a long long time. My personal view of this situation is that real justice is NOT being served here.

First, I guess I should see what the court in NY decides, guilty or not guilty, and what the judge sentences her to if she is found guilty.

Second, I do need to keep in mind, that the reported evidence in the media seems to indicate to me that Ms Harris had considerable reasons for what she did, but that all of it could very well be fabricated by Ms Harris. The "victim" (i.e. her father) might very well have never done any of the things Ms Harris alleges... I do believe that he did in fact do those things, but maybe he did not.

Well, I would like to revive this thread for a little bit.

She (Brigitte Harris) has been found guilty of manslaughter and faces anywhere between five and fifteen years in prison.

I personally wish she could be released immediately, I wish she had never been arrested, but the state of New York does not see it like I do.

So, now I would like to know what others here think. Should she do prison time? Five years? Fifty years? What do you think?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crim ... castration _death.html

Woman guilty of manslaughter in dad's castration death

hazbalz (imported) wrote: Wed Sep 23, 2009 6:04 am BY Thomas Zambito

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Thursday, October 1st 2009, 4:00 AM

A Queens woman was convicted of manslaughter but acquitted of murder Wednesday in the death of her father - whom she admitted castrating to avenge years of sexual abuse.

Brigitte Harris, 29, faces five to 15 years in prison for the suffocation death of her father, Eric Goodridge, two years ago.

"We got a great verdict," said defense lawyer Arthur Aidala. "The horrors she lived through no one should ever have to go through."

Prosecutors say Harris lured Goodridge, 55, to her Beach 69th St. apartment on July 28, 2007, handcuffed him to a chair and stuck a towel in his mouth.

She then removed his penis with a surgical scalpel. She admitted to cooking the evidence on a stove because she had learned from researching the John Bobbitt case that a penis can be reattached.

Aidala told jurors Harris never intended to kill Goodridge but wanted to protect her nieces from the abuse she suffered at his hands.

"Her actions warrant serious prison time, during which time she hopefully will receive the counseling she so obviously needs," Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

Well I'm all for someone avenging themself, I'm not to sure this is the right way to do that. And a guy screwing his daughter is just gross...She ruined her life, what was left of it after the years of abuse anyway.

Sometimes it is better to become something greater, return and let the person stew in their inability to forgive themself. It takes much more time, self understanding and discipline to overcome a childhood of abuse. Everything is relative, and self redemtion can be a lifestyle. Unfortuneatly, she is still the same person that he victimized for 18 years.

Much easier to lash out, but then look what she is left with...nothing

I hope she is a registered sex offender...

chilli-

The chance of her getting useful therapy in the prison system is nearly zero. --FLO--

Smart move burning the penis. If only he would have lived!! doh!

I was going to post a long, virtuous (and totally wisdom-free) analysis of this case, pointing out that everybody suffers when this sort of thing happens.

But that's a given, isn't it?

Brigitte probably deserves a prison sentence.

Her dad doubtless deserved punishment of some sort. Penectomy (which he got) was probably fair, even if it was gruesome and inhumane. Death (which he also got, whether Brigitte planned it or not) may have been excessive.

Apparently the death was caused by suffocation, not by the simple (but copious) bleeding that would certainly have been caused by amputation of the penis. So Brigitte was probably there, mentally, and thinking what she was doing.

She'll get what she deserves. A long prison sentence? And the horrors that can come along with that?

Her father got what many might say he deserved.

Her family will suffer, not only from the simple shame of the court case but also from being found wanting.

Her friends at school, and/or where she worked, will suffer, knowing perhaps that they 'knew' something at the time and might have been able to put a stop to things just by saying something to someone who might have been able to do something.

The postman might have seen things. The guy who serviced their central heating boiler. Dustbin-men (what do you call them in the Land of The Free?). The man who had to come and adjust their satellite dish. Kids who knocked on the door for trick or treat at Halloween. Neighbours.

Where does the guilt stop?

It spreads quite wide ...

chilliwilli (imported) wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2009 3:51 am Well I'm all for someone avenging themself, I'm not to sure this is the right way to do that. And a guy screwing his daughter is just gross...She ruined her life, what was left of it after the years of abuse anyway.

chilli-

I wonder how her reasons and acts, "reads" in her culture.

Moi

moi621 (imported) wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:16 pm I wonder how her reasons and acts, "reads" in her culture.

Moi

In prison culture she would be a hero! She slayed the evil dragon and saved the day.

YEA!

chilli-