What if Beniot hadn't killed himself?

[Monty Dawson]

What if he committed the murders, then turned himself in?

Or what if he was on the run and then caught by police? I can't imagine he would have had a long trial, but how would all the perceptions and coverage be different if he were still alive

[rprince18]

he'll be trash talking wwe for not suporting him and ignoging he ever work there.

[chazraps]

He would have even less loyalists and the absurd "BENOIT DIDN'T DO IT" conspiracy theorists would be non-existant.

[Deleted]

he woulda wrestled Punk on PPV

[joebob27]

Alot of shit would have gotten exposed by him re: steroids and the industry. probably would have also gotten more detail about what happened in other instances, like Eddie's.

Definitely would have been more media coverage, too. This was a huge story but not a long-lived one for obvious reasons

[Lord Bendtner]

Let's see.

He murdered his son and wife.

In this situation, HE turned himself in.

Looking at at LEAST 30-40 years or life in prison for 2 counts of murder. Let's say hypothetically he got out early on good behaviour, the WWE would completely still ignore his existence and eradicate him from the history books. Dead or alive, after that, that's what was inevitably going to happen, especially by a company who's already under so much scrutiny from the media that they're so eager to please. He may have exposed some truths about the company, but they could just call him bitter.

[casualobserver]

May 8, 2011 23:16:45 GMT -5 @xbb198xxx said:

he woulda wrestled Punk on PPV

That's more of a TNA thing.

[kidglov3s]

May 8, 2011 23:30:43 GMT -5 Lord Bendtner said:

He may have exposed some truths about the company, but they could just call him bitter.

And anything he said would be discounted for coming from a man who murdered his wife and child.

[corndog]

May 8, 2011 23:20:06 GMT -5 joebob27 said:

Alot of s*** would have gotten exposed by him re: steroids and the industry. probably would have also gotten more detail about what happened in other instances, like Eddie's.

Definitely would have been more media coverage, too. This was a huge story but not a long-lived one for obvious reasons

I agree he would have probably taken everyone down with him. I am sure his lawyers would have blamed steriods and the industry for making into what he had become, and plead temporary insanity. So it would be an even bigger mark on the industry than it turned out to be. Alot of bad things about the business would have been exposed.

As far as his legacy goes, he still would have been erased from WWE history in this case. Also he would have been completely blackballed from wrestling anywhere, so his career was over regardless of what happened.

Would people perceive him different? Not sure, but I am betting fans and wrestlers would still think he was P.O.S. Although the media possibly would paint him to be a victim of the industry more than a physcopath, maybe both, but who really knows?

[James McCloud IS John Godot]

Not guilty on account of WORKRATE.

Then everybody parties.

[ChitownKnight]

I'm pretty sure there would of been atleast a couple of shady companies that would let him wrestle

[Citizen Zero]

Vince, if he even survives the controversy, would probably end up having actually clean up his act, as opposed to the token steps he'd end up eventually taking.

[Andrew is Good]

On Nancy, he may've gotten off on something like insanity due to all the information in regards to his brain activity, maybe not insanity, but I think the charges wouldn't have been 1st degree murder certainly.

With Daniel though, he obviously has the guilty mind and the guilty act as he knew what he was doing was bad, which is why I believe he killed himself afterwards. It could be debated though whether or not he would have killed Daniel after killing Nancy. But yeah, if they did examinations on his brain, that probably would have least squashed him getting the death penalty.

So, I think it would go from not guilty by reason of insanity to multiple life sentences, but no death penalty.

[Dave the Dave]

I wouldn't mind, only if he told us why. I mean, what happened that made him snap at that moment, leave the PPV and go do that? That's all I want from him, then he could've rotted.

[worldsstrongestman]

He probably would get the death penalty. Insanity defenses don't work that often.

[Deleted]

TNA would have signed him to a long term contract.

[ChitownKnight]

What if he was on the run as a possible suspect? Would he have still been employed

[hassanchop]

To the funny farm.

[Chuckie Finster]

WWE would be raked over the coals 10x worse than they were.

With the suicide, it goes away because there's no real follow-up after the autopsy and brain results come back. With Benoit alive, the trial becomes a circus ala Scott Peterson with pro wrestling being put under a microscope. If Benoit decided to fight the charges, it would be so much worse for WWE and pro wrestling in general.

[A Platypus Rave]

May 9, 2011 0:13:33 GMT -5 worldsstrongestman said:

He probably would get the death penalty. Insanity defenses don't work that often.

Even if they he did get an insanity plea he'd most likely be in an institution for the rest of his life.

Insanity pleas aren't exactly get out of jail free cards, and in fact can last longer than the standard jail terms, as you are there until the Doctors agree you are no longer a threat to yourself or others, instead of a set term limit.

Either way had he lived I think the defense could at least show some doubt as to if he was fully competent to take the death penalty off the table but would have spent the rest of his life incarcerated either in a padded or jail cell. I doubt he'd be eligible for any kind of parole.

May 9, 2011 0:23:54 GMT -5 ChitownKnight said:

What if he was on the run as a possible suspect? Would he have still been employed

If he ran from the cops? No.

If he were only a suspect, they'd probably just keep him off shows until his arrest.