he probably waited this long just to see if the rapture was gonna happen

[soopageek]

Joseph Brooks, the composer of "You Light Up My Life" was found dead of an apparent suicide. While there's a delicious irony in the story of the man who penned the line "you give me hope to carry on" offing himself, the suicide isn't really surprising or particularly sad. Brooks was in the midst of a trial which included 90+ counts of rape,

Comments

[resonant]

If they're sure it was really him (and not his son or someone else doing the drugging, then blaming and killing the old guy), then best for the state to drop the case and go directly to the civil suit. No benefit for anyone if they prove him guilty, and civil suits would be less stressful on the victims (testify once instead of twice, and civil suits are usually easier on witnesses).

[soopageek]

Well the only reason I say that, is that a civil case is usually bolstered by a criminal conviction, to the point that they can usually be settled without a trial at all.

[spideman]

My tweet after reading about this suicide:

"Guy who wrote 'Light Up My Life' committed suicide with a plastic bag hooked up to a helium tank, making for a ridiculous sounding death"

[soopageek]

Heh. He tried to cry for help but the neighbors just thought he was writing new material for Dave Seville

[jenxteen]

I'm pretty sure that most sexual crimes like this are more about the power than the sex. What a messed up dude.

[soopageek]

I think there is probably a difference in the motivation between forcible rape, which is certainly about power, and the date-rape variety which I think is borne largely out of desperation and facilitated by severe rationalizations, denial, and out-right breaks from reality. I think Brooks probably suffered from the last of these, and a little of the first.

The scenario of a guy accepting consent from a REALLY drunk woman (or worse passed-out) would be a good example of denial (she's not capable of rational consent). Not that it is in anyway less reprehensible, just a difference.

[intravenous]

On a totally unrelated note, saw a driver on 95 around 6 this morning who looked just like you and he kept looking over at me and pacing me and I was like IS IT SOOP?! but I bet it wasn't.

[soopageek]

I was slumbering at that time in Wyoming, so alas, no. Though I'm sure the driver's pacing was intentional. A casual listen of CB radio yields endless "beaver reports". If you're an attractive woman on a long drive and passing numerous big trucks, especially if you're in the passenger seat with shorts/skirt and/or exposed cleavage, there's little doubt that your whereabouts along your journey is well-communicated. ;-)