Ga. Man, Owing Debts, Shot Postal Worker

[deadparrot]

SNELLVILLE, Ga. - Earl Lazenby had delivered mail for years to the aging brown home with overgrown plants in the yard and a National Rifle Association sticker on the front door. The home's owner was always friendly, sometimes chatting with Lazenby at the grocery store in this Atlanta suburb.

But what Lazenby didn't know was that William Crutchfield was deep in debt and looking for a way out. Authorities say Crutchfield apparently watched with envy as Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph was headed to prison for life and aspired to the same fate — allowing him to live off the government while behind bars.

So he allegedly hatched a twisted plan: Kill a federal employee.

Two weeks ago, Crutchfield walked down his driveway carrying a .380-caliber pistol and greeted his mail carrier at the curb. He then opened fire on Lazenby, drove to the police station in his Chevrolet Cavalier and told the secretary, "I just shot the letter carrier."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050714/ap_on_re_us/mail_carrier_shot

[havocmom]

1. Sad state of the nation, sick, debt ridden guy decided to shoot mailman

so he will end up in jail, have a roof, food and maybe medical care... no longer have to pay debts from medical care.

Havocdad read about this on the Fed Employee web site. Wondered why the guy just didn't waltz into a bank, demand $$ and shoot up the CEILING instead of a live person. Still would have gone to jail...

Keep expecting strange and tragic news like this as the economy and plight of the citizen gets worse.

[LisaL]

3. Exactly. An a$$hole didn't have to shoot anyone if all he

wanted is to end up in prison.

[UpInArms]

2. thank all the god/dess(s) that Lazenby was not killed

by this nut.

"He saw that Eric Rudolph was being well taken care of after committing a federal crime, so he thought he'd just go ahead and commit one, and he'd be taken care of, with three meals a day and shelter," she said.

The explanation makes no sense to the Lazenbys.

"If all he wanted to do was commit a federal crime, all he had to do was walk into a bank with an empty gun and point it at them and say, 'Give me your money.' And that's your federal crime, and no one gets hurt," Lazenby said. "Instead of trying to kill the mailman."

So many different points here - healthcare - why does it have to be so unaffordable? Idolizing a murderous nutcase? HUH? Jealousy of "being taken care of"? Prison is no picnic.

The whole thing is just out of whack and unfortunate. :(

[LisaL]

4. With so many injuries the poor guy suffered-he might wish

he was dead.

[cssmall]

5. In the absence of hope. . .

He had no hope. He could not afford to live anymore and to him, he began his efforts of finding a way out. That was the only accessable way. With government programs that aided people in medical care, etc. this crime would not happen.

[LisaL]

7. He could have committed a much less violent crime if he

wanted to go to prison. What he did was absolutely horrible.
I wonder how he will like prison now that his wish came true.

[cssmall]

8. I didn't say it was right. . .

I merely wrote about how I felt about the whole damnable issue.

[WhiteTara]

10. I agree

and welcome to DU :hi:

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. This fool is a poster boy for what the right wing is doing to this nation

That he would take aim at a federal worker...as the right wing loves to slam them all day long on their programs
that he doesn't have sufficient health care
that he would use Eric Rudolph as ANY kind of rolemodel
disgusting

[Raiden]

9. SICK! Why do people do this to each other?!

There's no excuse to murder someone, especially debt! DEBT?! Errgh!

[crimson333]

11. he could have just stolen one of the federal post office boxes

that they set out to collect mail. That is a federal crime that gets you sent to jail. It got my friend jail time