I’m guessing she probably felt he was a danger to himself and others, and that everyone would be better off if he was off the streets and hopefully getting some help to bring him back from the brink of madness.
And instead of just leaving he took her advice and called the cops on himself? Or did i misunderstand a post? Seems very strange
I agree it’s a strange situation. If it actually happened as described I would expect him to just leave, and then maybe seek out some therapy for his issues. Maybe he figured it would end up better if he turned himself in rather than risk the cops coming after him if they found out what he did.
Yeah idk something is missing here.
Right… that is what makes the other stuff a crime. But just having a plan isn’t attempting murder either, is it? There is a line somewhere in the execution of the plan that isn’t 100% clear, especially in a case where the person called himself off.
If he has a good lawyer and it goes before a jury, i think there is a decent chance he is guilty on a lesser charge but not guilty on attempt.
I think a lot will depend on precisely how attempted murder is defined under … Maryland? federal law.
Edited to correct: he’s being tried in federal court.
I’m not “downplaying” it. I’m talking about the word.
It’s definitely crazy. Or maybe not crazy since it could be entirely rational* to assassinate a leader, but it’s definitely very, very dangerous for our society. And it’s easy to imagine some other scenario where the guy does go through with his plan.
So presumably a crime was committed? It just doesn’t fit my picture of the word “attempted”. Maybe it fits a legal definition, or maybe it fits another crime? Or maybe no crime was committed since this sort of almost doing is too close to being a “thought-crime”, and we don’t want to punish someone for turning themselves in before doing the act? But I don’t know. I don’t presume to know. I’m just laughing at the word here, bro.
*(though it’s pretty dumb to think you could save RvW by offing a justice)
Plotting to kill someone and traveling with the intent of killing someone is a crime I think.
Maybe it’s one most people would get away with because if he’d walked away and booked a hotel room and flew home the next day no one would have been the wiser. But there are thought crimes as I understand it.
Yeah, I thought about that too. Like, if he had been arrested just before he turned himself in, then presumably he’d have committed a crime.
In any case this can’t be the first time this has happened…
By the way, googling “plotting to kill” is always pretty disturbing.
I definitely remember some of these (the Gov Whitmer plot) but others I missed, Incel dude with a bumpstock and bodyarmor, or the boogaloo dude with a grenade launcher and a machine gun.
Yes, I would certainly think so.
Not sure how Kavanaugh went down, but wasn’t there stuff all over the internet indicating a plot?
Here, it seems he never fired at anyone or attempted to fire at anyone and without additional evidence, you can’t assume his intent
I kind of feel like we should have a thread for plots to kidnap / assassinate government officials, since they have so much in common.
But then again, maybe it’s better to not systematically review the pros- and cons- of terrorist plans.
Some day these idiots are going to figure it out. 
This post from earlier didn’t get moved with the others, but it belongs over here since the post it was responding to was moved.
Was in response to
I doubt the crazy SF ibogaine hippie would be charged with attempted murder if he had never entered the Pelosi house and, you know, hit Paul on the head with a hammer.
This is interesting. If there had been two people involved, they talked about how they would do it, and they carried out part of the plan, that would be “conspiracy to commit murder”. That’s the story that comes to my mind when I think about being charged with planning a murder.
But, if it is only one person, I’m not at all sure. I want to kill someone. I’ve never owned a gun, but I buy one for the sole purpose of murder. But, I don’t do anything with the gun other than buy it and take it home and store it there. …?
It may be that it is generally easier to prove intent when two people are involved than when only one is. It’s hard for the prosecutor to prove I was planning a murder if I didn’t talk to anyone about it. Even if I bought the gun with the intent of using it, maybe I had changed my mind before the police found out about the gun.
Yeah, when I googled “murder plots” I got “attempt” charges.
For example, this guy pled guilty to attempting a hate crime, despite not getting past the gun-purchase, military training, googling, and 4chan manifesto:
Lol:
The charging document claims Genco conducted surveillance at an Ohio university on Jan. 15, 2020. That same day, he allegedly searched online for topics including “how to plan a shooting crime” and “when does preparing for a crime become attempt?”
Indy, in regard to your question, asking that question is evidence that you committed the crime that you’re asking if you are committing.
It’s especially confusing in this case, because apparently this guy did change his mind before the police found out about the gun?
sounds like nobody can be charged with the intent of murder until the murder actually happens.
Article doesn’t state the actual charges made on the individual; but based on “Welch pled guilty . . .”, I would surmise that a plea bargain was made to save time with a long, drawn out trial.