Victim or vigilante? Summations offer differing views of 'Lady Vengeance'

9-30-2009 New York:

QUEENS -- Either Brigitte Harris was trying to stop a sexually abusive "monster" when she strangled and mutilated her father, or she was a vigilante, seeking revenge with malicious intent.

The defense and prosecution offered those differing views to the jury at Ms. Harris' murder trial at state Supreme Court in Queens this morning. Jurors will now have to decide if Ms. Harris, 28, is guilty of second-degree murder -- a charge that carries a minimum sentence of 15 years to life in prison -- or a lesser charge of first- or second-degree manslaughter.

Both sides agree on one thing: Ms. Harris killed and dismembered her father, 55-year-old St. George resident Eric Goodridge, on July 28, 2007. He was found in her Far Rockaway apartment handcuffed and beaten, with his genitals cut off and a towel stuffed in his mouth.

In an emotional, hour-long summation, defense attorney Arthur Aidala told a captivated jury that Ms. Harris had no choice.

Son Charged With Dismembering Dad Claims Sex Abuse

5-8-2014 Maine:

A Maine man charged with killing and dismembering his father was ordered Thursday to undergo a mental health evaluation at a court appearance that ended with him declaring himself "the Lord, Father of life" and asking the gathered media to follow him on Twitter.

Leroy Smith III, 24, told an investigator he recorded at least some of the crime and posted it on YouTube and Twitter, but removed the postings and deleted the video from his camera and computer, according to court records.

A police affidavit said Smith told an officer he killed his father by stabbing him in the neck then used three knives to chop up his body.

"Leroy Smith III stated that he filleted him and buried him in the woods because his dad sexually assaulted him his whole life," an investigator wrote.