If Benoit had lived.

[Nr1Humanoid]

I've been wondering this since the tragedy happened but felt it would be disrespectful to ask so I decided to wait until time had passed.

If he had failed to kill himself and survived, what could the media backlash have been like?

One can just imagine the trial.

Any thoughts? (serious answers only please)

[Lair of the Shadow MaDaBa]

From what we know now, the odds say he would have been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

[plushtar]

The media and some portion of the IWC would have been calling for his head. I don't know about the steroid backlash, but I know that Debra Marshall would have been there to say that a 10 ft. tall, 4 ton Steve Austin did the exact same thing to her at the biggest family reunion ever at Wrestlemania and she was released from the hospital three days later.

From what we know now, the odds say he would have been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Seriously, I see Benoit being blackballed from the business and not being mentioned again (with the exception of title reigns) for about 40 years. By that time he would have been a forgotten old shell that would be considered for a Hall of Fame spot. I don't even see him making appearances at wrestling conventions, most fans would have been disgusted to get an autograph from him.

He probably would have been blacklisted from the industry regardless of the verdict, and the media fallout would have been just as severe.

I see Vince and the WWE taking less heat from the media over this. It is really easy to wash your hands.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

He probably would have been blacklisted from the industry regardless of the verdict, and the media fallout would have been just as severe.

[Deleted]

Even if he was found innocent, he wouldn't have ever worked in professional wrestling again.

He would've been fired by WWE on June 25th, 2007.

[Papa shango]

mdb913 said:

From what we know now, the odds say he would have been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

i highly doubt this. without trying to sound like a know it all, i have a Masters in Forensic Psych and work in a federal prison where I conduct these types of test.

only 1% of criminals even qualify for such testing, and from that 1%, only 1% of them actually get found not guilty by reason of insanity.

and althought he was seriously mentally ill, he wasnt insane. that means that he had no clue that what he was doing was wrong. he knew what he did was wrong. probably thats why he killed himself, b/c he couldnt live with what he did

[LaParka Loves Candy]

He prob would go on tour with Howard Stern and Reel Big Fish!

[plushtar]

ikartz11 said:

mdb913 said:

From what we know now, the odds say he would have been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

i highly doubt this. without trying to sound like a know it all, i have a Masters in Forensic Psych and work in a federal prison where I conduct these types of test.

only 1% of criminals even qualify for such testing, and from that 1%, only 1% of them actually get found not guilty by reason of insanity.

and althought he was seriously mentally ill, he wasnt insane. that means that he had no clue that what he was doing was wrong. he knew what he did was wrong. probably thats why he killed himself, b/c he couldnt live with what he did

We need more people like you in the IWC and the media who can actually quote statistics instead of speculating about wild causes or self-promoting. According to your statitistics, my guess is completely out.

[Deleted]

ikartz11 said:

mdb913 said:

From what we know now, the odds say he would have been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

i highly doubt this. without trying to sound like a know it all, i have a Masters in Forensic Psych and work in a federal prison where I conduct these types of test.

only 1% of criminals even qualify for such testing, and from that 1%, only 1% of them actually get found not guilty by reason of insanity.

and althought he was seriously mentally ill, he wasnt insane. that means that he had no clue that what he was doing was wrong. he knew what he did was wrong. probably thats why he killed himself, b/c he couldnt live with what he did

I have to ask - would the fact that Benoit was still employed mean anything to him being proven guilty? I mean, would be be able to plead insanity when he still had a job?

Hopefully you get what I mean, don't know if I phrased that well enough.

[Papa shango]

trying to avoid too much jargon, a legal rule (called the Mcnaughton rule) found this:

at the time of the committing of the act, the party accused was laboring under such a defect of reason, arising from a disease of the mind, as not to know the nature and quality of the act he was doing, or, if he did know it, that he did not know what he was doing was wrong."

basically, he had to have a mental disease that prevented him from knowing that what he was doing, or if he did know it, he didnt know it was illegal.

so it it required that he has a mental illness, but b/c he has one does not automatically qualify him.

finding if he knew what he was doing is a long elaborate ordeal that involves A LOT of questioning.

to answer your question about him being employed....

b/c he had a job, and performed quite well at it, it shows that he was a fully functional individual, and understood many basic functions that are involved with holding a job....responsibility, approproate demeanor, frustration tolerance, problem solving...etc.

being so, obviously we cant prove it, buut based on those things, it shows that his mind worked quite well as to knwoing what is appropriate and what is not, implying he would have been sane.

however, there are many more things that need to be looked at during interviewing people in these types of situations. obbviously, just his work performance cant be the sole source of his sanity. but based off of that since its all we really know about, i would say he was sane.

[Ridley]

I think a few of the people that say they still respect the guy (not just his wrestling ability) wouldn't.

[Joekishi]

mdb913 said:

From what we know now, the odds say he would have been found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect.

Then he would have been put into a mental institution for the rest of his life, and still be labled the Canadian Strangler.

ridley said:

I think a few of the people that say they still respect the guy (not just his wrestling ability) wouldn't.

you mean the people on youtube who call people sheep when they decided that memorializing a murderer is in bad taste?

you mean the people on youtube who say "I know what he did was wrong, but i don't care he's still my favorite wrestler"

[Veladus Jobs To Dead Computers]

plushtar said:

ikartz11 said:

i highly doubt this. without trying to sound like a know it all, i have a Masters in Forensic Psych and work in a federal prison where I conduct these types of test.

only 1% of criminals even qualify for such testing, and from that 1%, only 1% of them actually get found not guilty by reason of insanity.

and althought he was seriously mentally ill, he wasnt insane. that means that he had no clue that what he was doing was wrong. he knew what he did was wrong. probably thats why he killed himself, b/c he couldnt live with what he did

We need more people like you in the IWC and the media who can actually quote statistics instead of speculating about wild causes or self-promoting. According to your statitistics, my guess is completely out.

Yes, we need more unsubstantiated claims and clearly rounded statistics without any backup.

Anyway, we're forgetting a key component here. BENOIT WAS RICH. And whether it's fair or not, the more money you have, the better lawyer you get, and the better lawyer you get the better your chances are of a favorable verdict. If you don't believe me, go ask OJ Simpson.

I actually think his chances of being found not guilty or being sentenced to mental care rather than a prison would have been very good. Honestly I haven't even seen any real evidence that he did it. I've heard some incompetent officials claim he did it, and I've heard some internet strategic geniuses say "who else did it then?!" but I don't find that convincing. You can't prove someone is guilty by not finding evidence that it was someone else. It just doesn't work like that. And we haven't heard what convinced the police. It certainly wasn't actual evidence like a suicide note, DNA or fingerprints. I seriously doubt that a bunch of expensive lawyers would have much trouble with Barney Fife's Atlanta squad.

Of course he'd never work in the WWE again. He may get some independant bookings that would be willing to overlook his past for his star power, but no large fed would have anything to do with him.

[tarheelfan]

I think no matter what his career as a mainstream wrestler was over. I think he would have likely been convicted. He could have been sentenced to death(I'm guessing Georgia has capital punishment or life in prison with no parole. Or if he was found insane he would likely have had to live in a mental institution.

[Papa shango]

veladus said:

plushtar said:

We need more people like you in the IWC and the media who can actually quote statistics instead of speculating about wild causes or self-promoting. According to your statitistics, my guess is completely out.

Yes, we need more unsubstantiated claims and clearly rounded statistics without any backup.

Anyway, we're forgetting a key component here. BENOIT WAS RICH. And whether it's fair or not, the more money you have, the better lawyer you get, and the better lawyer you get the better your chances are of a favorable verdict. If you don't believe me, go ask OJ Simpson.

I actually think his chances of being found not guilty or being sentenced to mental care rather than a prison would have been very good. Honestly I haven't even seen any real evidence that he did it. I've heard some incompetent officials claim he did it, and I've heard some internet strategic geniuses say "who else did it then?!" but I don't find that convincing. You can't prove someone is guilty by not finding evidence that it was someone else. It just doesn't work like that. And we haven't heard what convinced the police. It certainly wasn't actual evidence like a suicide note, DNA or fingerprints. I seriously doubt that a bunch of expensive lawyers would have much trouble with Barney Fife's Atlanta squad.

Of course he'd never work in the WWE again. He may get some independant bookings that would be willing to overlook his past for his star power, but no large fed would have anything to do with him.

there would be fingerprints on the cord he used to strangle his wife.

and hypothetically speaking, if he didnt do it, would you say the alleged 'real' perpetrator made benoit hang himself? the fact that he hung himself points directly at murder suicide.

[Veladus Jobs To Dead Computers]

ikartz11 said:

there would be fingerprints on the cord he used to strangle his wife.

and hypothetically speaking, if he didnt do it, would you say the alleged 'real' perpetrator made benoit hang himself? the fact that he hung himself points directly at murder suicide.

His fingerprints would be on his wife's alarm clock cord? I'm sure a $20,000 an hour lawyer would have a problem explaining that.

And yes, surprisingly it is possible to make it look like someone hung themselves. But yes, it points that way. But that something suggests it isn't quite enough for me to condemn someone. Sorry I'm not so quick to judge.

[Papa shango]

im not trying to agrue, im just sharing some of my experiences and resulting knwoledge from such an experience.

i do see your point f view, ive just seen things like this go down.

[bubbles]

I'm guessing he'd be in a mental hospital.

[Veladus Jobs To Dead Computers]

ikartz11 said:

im not trying to agrue, im just sharing some of my experiences and resulting knwoledge from such an experience.

i do see your point f view, ive just seen things like this go down.

Ahh. Apologies if I came off defensive, I'm just a bit used to let's say, less than respectful responses for not being in the "omgz he can burn in hell" camp.

Anyway, I understand what you mean. And I agree to an extent, he probably did do it. But I'm with the founding fathers on "beyond a reasonable doubt" for this sort of thing.

[Joekishi]

so do a murder she wrote at Benoit Manor