(Mental Health) Records of Virginia Tech Gunman Discovered

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Washington Post

Virginia Tech gunman Seung Hui Cho had been treated at the college's counseling center before the shooting rampage in which he killed 32 students, contradicting earlier accounts of his psychiatric history, according to newly discovered mental health records located in the home of the center's former director.

According to a memo written by a university lawyer and obtained by The Washington Post, the former director, Robert Miller, had moved the records into his home more than a year before the April 16, 2007, massacre, during which Cho also took his own life.

Word the records had been found first came from Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine during a Wednesday morning news conference. Kaine said only that missing mental health records were located at the home of a former employee of the college's counseling center.

Kaine said a criminal investigation is underway to determine how the employee was able to take the records and why the documents were not uncovered during state investigations following the shooting.

The Associated Press reported that Miller, reached at his private practice, declined to comment.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072201209.html?hpid=topnews

[slackmaster]

1. His temporary hospitalization may have disqualified him from buying a gun legally

If so the state should have reported it to the federal government, which would have flagged Cho in the National Instant Check System as a prohibited person.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. I don't know.

You drive down Route 29 in Virginia and see all the gun stores that also sell fireworks.

They look like they're in it for the quick sell versus going through proper paperwork.

[slackmaster]

3. I hope you have reported any illegal gun sales you have observed to the police

Otherwise you would be part of the problem.

What really freaks me out in the Southeast is the gas stations next to fireworks stores that sell liquor and tobacco.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. I've never felt the need to stop in to even look around those shops.

I'm usually driving from D.C. to Lynchburg.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Which of course, is a federal Felony.

Call it in, if you think they are doing something illegal.

[Buzz Clik]

4. Cho was already designated as mentally unsound, but the problem was with the Va laws.

They've been changed.

[WriteDown]

5. Not sure about that...

I think there are privacy laws that prevent them from reporting his hospitalization to the feds. How messed up is that?

[Beavker]

6. Regardless, I'm sure there's some NRA or GOP hand

in whatever allowed this to happen or kept it from being prevented. We (the country as a whole) will just never take guns seriously, and our elected chimps will never change anything. Basically, just hope you don't get killed by a whack job. That's all.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. Actually, the NRA had a hand in getting the NICS background check system passed

which relies upon, and denies firearms sales based on (in addition to criminal background) mental health issues that meet certain criteria.

Brady's name was on the bill, but the NRA also lobbied to get it passed.

[anachro1]

8. Ridiculous

Did he take these records home so he could protect West Virginia's gun laws? Were the 32 deaths worth protecting these laws?

[DarthDem]

11. It's Not West Virginia

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is located in . . . Virginia.

[MountainLaurel]

12. *facepalm*

Thank you Darth!

For the love of Maude, they're TWO SEPARATE states, people! Have been for almost 150 years.

[anachro1]

14. My bad

Still......

[Optical.Catalyst]

13. Two year delay in "finding" the records

:tinfoilhat:

It must take about two years for the ink to dry and the paper to age to the necessary shade of yellow before the experts will sign off on the forgeries.

There are 32 people dead, the gunman dead, and now there are records to certify Seung Hui Cho was insane. How convenient to shift the focus from the dead people to gun laws and administration of the mental health industry.

I want to know who needed killing bad enough to go to these lengths.

:tinfoilhat: