conuly

Well, I mean, it is, but not as much as reporting of it does.

"In a case that touched the local community, neighbours, including the local pastor, expressed sadness and said Markcrow was a "lovely woman" who would be welcomed back with open arms."

God. It sounds like he was a notorious kitten-killer or something. "Touched the local community"? That's the phrase you use when refering to a murder case?

She had been through a double tragedy with the sudden death of her husband Paul, an architect, shortly after she killed her son.

Now, the other article implied that her husband had died *first*. But if he died *after* the boy, suddenly (not the result of a long, drawn-out illness, say), the "oh, she was upset that her husband died" argument obviously doesn't work. And, of course, her son's death is considered part of a "double tragedy", even though she caused it.

"There is more sympathy than criticism. People who know will be very understanding really, knowing Wendy as they do."

Of course they will. Because she was just so put-upon, poor dear.

"Patrick had special needs and that was an enormous pressure for her, she was very conscientious in her care for him."

Whatever the lawyers and all said, the community and the press are working to make sure we all get the idea that her son's murder was okay because he was a burden on her - not because she had serious psychiatrc problems. And maybe she did, but that's not what I'm reading in these comments in the article.

It's sickening. There's no other words for it. If she'd killed anyone else, nobody would be saying "I don't know what happened but whatever she did, it was not her fault", not like that. And it's clear that her neighbors aren't saying that because they thought she wasn't in her right mind. If they did, I doubt they would've gotten together to sign a book of support to mail to her after her arrest. For murder, remember, even if now it's been pushed down as far as manslaughter, which is a joke.