Kelsey Smith murder suspect's teen years filled with trouble

[proud2BlibKansan]

Hints of violence echo in the boyhood of the man accused of killing Smith.
By LAURA BAUER and DIANE CARROLL
The Kansas City Star

An Emporia, Kan., couple adopted Edwin R. Hall when he was 7 because they wanted to give him a better life.

Eight years later, after Hall was convicted in juvenile court of threatening his adoptive sister with a knife, he went back into state custody. He would spend the next three years in four juvenile correctional facilities and never return to his adoptive home.

The 26-year-old Hall now sits in the Johnson County jail on $5 million bond, accused of kidnapping and killing 18-year-old Kelsey Smith one week ago today. His attorney, Paul Cramm, declined to comment Friday.

Also Friday, Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline said Smith, who was taken from an Overland Park Target parking lot, was strangled with a ligature that he would not identify.

more . . .
http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/143181.html

[JanMichael]

1. Did you read some of the comments left by readers?

God, what whackjobs.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. You ain't kidding

[jaysunb]

5. This one really grabbed me cold...

So this punk had problems growing up. A lot of people do. They don't become murderers. I feel sorry for his wife and child but he needs to be dealt with the same way that he dealt with Kelsey. He's getting way to much attention which is exactly what he wants. I suggest that somebody take him to the woods and slowly kill him. Let him feel it. Guilty until proven innocent in this case. If you need any volunteers I'll do it

Posted by: Law36

6/9/2007 9:59 AM
1725.12 Report as Violation

Avg 3.00, 2 votes

He wants to "kill him slowly" WoW ! personally.....

[sandnsea]

6. Hall was probably psychotic

The person who wrote that probably isn't. Yet so many people can't see the difference, and can't see that they're the real monsters when they think this way.

[jaysunb]

7. Exactly...

n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. That one got to me too

I work with troubled kids. One of their biggest obstacles is people like the demented person who wrote that.

[LisaL]

13. I don't find those comments "made by readers" all that

different from what frequently gets posted on DU about some people accused of a crime.

[kurth]

3. A fair trial and hanging is recommended

Troubled childhood notwithstanding.

"Carol and Don Hall, who have three daughters, adopted Edwin after reading a newspaper article about children available for adoption. “I felt like we could make a difference, help someone out,” she said. “I love kids. We took him into our home with the intention of adopting him.”"

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. And they gave him back when he was 'broken'

I think these adoptive parents did more harm than good to him.

[High Plains]

11. Ooh, that sounds pretty harsh and judgemental...

...without knowing more about the parents. What do you do when your foster child wants to stab his sister?

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. They adopted him; he was their child

I would think you do the same thing you would do for any kid. Get him some help.

But this family treated him like they had bought him at WalMart; they returned him when he had problems.

[aikoaiko]

4. Now the state will provide him some therapy for the rest of his life.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. Well if he is really mentally ill,

then he doesn't need to be put to death.