The problem with growing up rich is that you aren't accustomed to hard times. Wealthy parents tend to spoil their kids, assuming that this helps them, but it usually just causes thrm to have no appreciation for what it takes to have money.
Wow! This is probably the most messed up Dominick Dunne's power,privilege and justice episode I've seen yet. Thank you Dominick and MLP Regal for making this episode available.
Victim was an avid hunter with numerous guns.....the hunter became the hunted - killed while defenseless and bothering no one.....just like the innocent animals he hunted....
Man, poor Kurt. Everyone wanted to blame the hippy and he got to sit through 15 years of people pointing fingers at him because his evil little pimple of a brother let people think the worst. Even after confessing, Billy still tried to shift blame to his older brother. Here's hoping that Kurt has found some peace after all this.
Mene Tekel Money, privileged kids who are spoiled rotten when young and cute, guns and finally privileged but not young and cute no more kids, don't do well together, family had serious problem, No Love, direction by the mother, you can't keep telling a kid that he is a bum and not going to amount to nothing like his brother sooner or later.......
Hmmm. You feel blacks or hispanics, no matter how long they have been in America, cannot be 'all-American'. Therefore, using your logic, only those who are originally American deserve that name. Guess who those are?
Excuse me, they were and are Americans. Hence the term 'native Americans'. I thought I had posted a longer comment, explaining exactly who was who, but for some reason Idon't see it here. Cannot be bothered to go through all of it again, so forgive me if I cut and paste from USA today, Feb 2014: Scientists have analyzed the DNA of a little boy buried in Montana more than 12,000 years ago, shedding light on the contentious subject of who peopled the New World. The results confirm that Native Americans can trace their heritage to the earliest people to firmly establish themselves in the New World. Some scholars have suggested that later migrants who displaced the original settlers are the source of today's native people. The data imply "that Native Americans are descended from the first people that populated at the least the Lower 48 states … and all of South America," study author Eske Willerslev, an evolutionary geneticist at the University of Copenhagen, said in an interview. "I must say, I didn't expect this result." Whites are johnnies-come-lately to America, and if you agree that the true Americans are nothing to do with who has the most European ancestry but who was there first and still remain.
I'm not going to go into your tone of racial disdain and superiority, or the history of what great favours European conquest did the natives of America. If we're not to care who was there first, then African Americans and Hispanics are just as American as you, as I first said. Or are you only counting those whose actual ancestors were there when this great and glorious new day arrived with the conquest of the natives?. So if your family emigrated from Ireland or Poland or England on the Titanic, say, or if they were dragged from their African homeland and their enslaved labours helped 'build the greatest country in the world' because the founding fathers were too lazy or too busy drinking to do the back-break work themselves, that doesn't count. I hope every white person has checked their family tree and can proudly say their actual family was one of those Native-slaying superstars.
***** Also, research the contribution of the Buffalo Soldiers. Your ignorance is astounding, for one who claims to be so proud of his country. But I guess it's not that surprising that those two things go hand-in-hand.
Wow...MANSION SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES? VERY CREEPY. THIS IS REALLY SAD. I FEEL BAD FOR KURT...EVERYBODY THINKING HE IS A KILLER. HOPE HIS LIFE IS MUCH BETTER NOW
I grew up about a half mile from this house and that's not even the half of the story of this house - after the murders the house ended up becoming a casino run by the mob and the local police, and some mafioso ended up getting whacked in the house a few years later ultimately exposing mass police corruption and ties to the mob. I remember seeing the house all the time but really didn't know much about it or what happened there until recently, and it certainly is odd indeed that the house just burned to the ground one night....
+Nikola Tesla Since you seem like you're from Libertyville/the million other suburbs, I want to ask: Is it just me or does it seem like all of these events have been completely covered up until last year when it was announced that someone wanted to remake something like this? Granted, I was born about a month and a half after the guilty verdict of the younger son, but I had never heard anything about this until last year. Even within that, the mayor seemed like he wanted to cover up the whole thing from affecting Libertyville by saying it was not in the actual town, but in "unincorporated" Libertyville.
For one thing, at fifteen years old a persons brain is not completely developed and they do not have the same ability to understand consiquenses and long term effect as a adult does. I know I will get everyone saying this isn't an excuse and I don't mean it as one. I'm just saying it is true that kids don't think the same way as adults do. Horrible and sad case all around.
+MasKistershi It would mean that this would apply for ALL kids and (not only for the upper class white children) they would have to be real careful and weigh this on a case by case basis FOR ALL KIDS of every race and back ground. You cannot play that card for one group of people.
Of course it goes for all kids. What on earth would race have to do with the stages of brain development. And what on earth would make you think I would only consider this in relation to white privileged children? ALL CHILDREN'S brains are different from the adult brain.
+MasKistershi : That may be true at fifteen. But how do you explain away the same fifteen year-old's evil choice to frame his own brother for murder at thirty? Doesn't this prove that his shortcomings had nothing to do with his age and everything to do with his deeply flawed personality? I think the facts of the case say yes.
You can have materialistic possessions in the world but it all is empty if your in a dysfunctional family where unconditional love is not present. Sad!
I knew a guy once whose mother goaded his father to beat him constantly. By age 10 or 11 he had had enough. He sat on his bed and waited for them to come in his room. The door opened, there they were. They saw the shotgun, their eyes got wide, they backed out of the room quickly. I have no doubt he would have shot them. They never bothered him again.
Just because a house has some size to it, indoor/outdoor pools and an adjacent (probably small) stable doesn't make it a mansion. The murder house is described as a big ranch style. Mansions have marble floors, granite exterior walls, impressive entry halls with equally impressive staircases, 12 to 20 foot high ceilings, large kitchens with butlers' pantries, many bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, guest houses, cabanas by the pools, landscaped grounds, on and on. The difference between a really large house and a mansion is unmistakable. Biltmore is a mansion. This is just a really large, pricey house.
+FUTMZ Of course, you're right. It's "en suite" and I've corrected it. Thanks for catching my mistake. The snotty tone wasn't necessary though. It was simply an error. I appreciate your sharp eyes and mind in any case.
I dunno if you're envious or what, but I don't see what Robin or Kurt ever did to you, or to anyone. They must have been pretty miserable and confused children. That, like the spoiling, was no fault of theirs; I'm sure they'd have rather been truly loved and understood than have all the ponies & cars money can buy. In short, maybe you could grow up a bit, ypurself. Gain some insight from what you see... no one can ever have too much of that.
Physical abuse is one thing, psychological abuse is just as bad. It sounds as if the mother deserved it, especially since the dad doted on the daughter. Its not an uncommon thing for this dynamic to exist. After a while, the boy simply wanted the badgering to stop, which is also why boys tend to run away more. He needed a place to go to get away from them. I feel bad for him, not the parents. Its the other side of the story kind of like when a woman wants to escape an abusive husband and then kills him, or visa versa.
I wonder how many innocnt animals he had killed being that he is a hunter. It' karma. What goes around comes around. I don't care for anyone who hunts animals.
Ann Stone Ann Stone don't waist your time some people are to evil and selfish to give respect and love to other living beings.... but Karma is a bitch.
For the life of me I can't understand why white people are always killing their love ones for money..I just don't understand it.. but to be fair I have a cousin that did the same thing and we all could've killed him but the fucking coward turned his self in dame..some you win an some you fucking lose..
I wish to say my peace in regards to cops, detectives, prosecutors and media stating that it could've or must've been the mafia from Chicago; That's my family that they're dragging through the mud, and I don't care for it. Yes, they've done some things that are questionable according to the law but most of the time they were hardworking people. Yes, they knew the Rouse family but really didn't associate with them on a day to day basis; they never had any type of business transactions with Mr. Bruce Rouse nor did my grandmother play bridge with Mrs. Rouse. I believe that my father did "party" with Kurt (as he had told me awhile back), but my father has been known to embellish his stories of whom he had partied with (he even stated that he was a part of The Hell's Angels which there was absolute no proof whatsoever of this). When I was, I believe, 6 or 7 when my grandfather introduced me to Mr. Bruce Rouse as he went looking for a car, which he bought a new one every single year, but it was a brief encounter. Billy had always been a very, very spoiled brat; he'd throw a tantrum when he didn't get what he wanted, because I'd overhear my grandpa talking about him, and my granddad couldn't understand on why they'd gave him what he wanted without working for it. Billy definitely deserves to be where he's at and nowhere else, in fact, he doesn't deserve to be free ever again. What he did was extremely shameful to the family name, his parents, his siblings and himself. No one has the right, EVER, to take someone's life UNLESS it's absolutely proven to be self-defense or to protect your family from having harm done to them. He's a very pathetic piece of crap that deserves to get an ass beating, whilst in prison, for what he had done.
Okay, I know I'm not the only one thinking the one detective, Blazincic, looks like Hitler. Basically, anyone who has that specific kind of mustache is going to resemble him. Therefore, why would you put yourself in that kind of position. Unless, of course, that's what you're going for. If that's the case, then he did not fail. Otherwise, you failed miserably.
+Keetah Brough : So a parent not being kind enough to a child makes it justifiable for that child to take the life of the parent. You might want to re-examine your value system.
It seems like the mother was emotionally abusive to him plus he was 15 years old when he committed the crime would he be still prosecuted as an juvenile?.
+mayena In the state of Illinois, you will be charged as an adult if you are at least 15 years of age and committed murder or various other felonies. There was no statute of limitations on this case and he would have been charged as an adult had he been arrested the day after the murders.
How is having an attorney " A slam dor to the police ". Does it means that the police can not deal with people that have legal representation ? Are the police afraid of having witnesses? Or is it easier to make people say what the police want them to say, people are alone ?
Page B I don't like animal hunters either unless they kill for food. Having said that,your "karma" comment is sick....maybe you should go "hunt" for some mental assistance.
+Ishmael Mason There is a new series which claims that this house was "haunted" which aired Saturday night in October, 2015 called "Hell House". They are re-airing this on Sunday afternoon CST at 2pm in the ID channel (Investigative Discovery Channel). If you have a chance, check it out and share your thoughts about it. I think that the arson was set by the Libertyville community because of the deal that others were getting because it was considered a murder house. The original investigation was so damned lame because it was an upper scale community and they did not want to arrest wealthy kids and that this was an inside job and allowed the case to become cold until that idiot alcoholic brother admitted that he murdered his parents. How would a half way dimmed witted detective not figure that it was one of the sons. Billy had the most problems with the family. Come on!
+M Perry Honestly, I could not agree more. I've lived in/around Libertyville my entire life. Last year when ID announced that they wanted to film for the series, our mayor flipped. He wanted to make sure that everyone knew that Libertyville was a great place and that the home was in "unincorporated" Libertyville (it was right on the town lines). The entire community (well, anyone who could have recollection of the trial) seemed so ashamed of this event. I was born a little bit after the conviction, and there had never been a single mention of the murders until last year. The thought that it was Libertyville that destroyed the house seems pretty spot on, all anyone in the town cares about is image.
Abby Militante Yes, I sensed this very deeply that this was very much an organised event in the manner of how the fire was conained and in especially what te program mentioned and aha you said about it being in "unincorporated" Libertyville as if the lines being blurred worked on their side. I live very, very close to Libertyville and our attorney is located there. Very well manicured and organised community. I could tell that the residents seem to only desire other citizens who have truly earned their way there and not by living there inexpensively due to the multiple murders. There were too many top Libertyville representatives and associates who expressed their "fear" of this house and in Libertyville, they do not want to be known as another "Amityville" because the property is prime and they only want the very best. The manner of the fire could have only been overseen by a chief of the fire department. I could tell because this is the manner in which they use when they are hired by the DA to prove arson in cases and that fire was perfectly contained as if it were a "test" fire or as if it were a "comparison" fire used for explaining cases of arson. This was a very wrong way of hurting that family.They could have compensated that family with another home if they were so disturbed by the presence of the house. I do know that the unseen does exist and that there are spirits which come from darkness which are celebrated and brought up as if they were chanting up these things and so they appear and people become frightened. Most folks really do not understand how the unseen works. People being things up with their mouths and whatever they say, it will be. The tongue is very powerful, as powerful as a rudder to steer a ship. It is very true. But I thank you for responding to what I could very clearly see. I am glad that there are some very sharp individuals out here who could see the truth behind what is spoken or said (that chasm which affects unfortunate souls are ill-fated or suddenly are redirected). Thank you! Have a good evening. Yes,some powerful group of Libertyville Political Board members of Libertyville and those with disposable means paid for this house to "disappear" and that was all there was to it. They waited for that family to leave. But how cruel to destroy their belongings. Just shameful' just to keep their reputation untainted. I could not believe that this grown resident, nearly 50, who was interviewed for the segment and said that he was still so very "frightened" by the house and I sensed that he was one of the decision makers to burn it down.
