Homophobic rhetoric couldn't have nothing to do with this:
Authorities in Delaware County say a 70-year-old man was stoned to death with a rock stuffed in a sock by a younger friend who alleged the victim made unwanted sexual advances.
According to the criminal complaint, 28-year-old John Thomas of Lansdowne has told police he killed 70-year-old Murray Seidman because the Old Testament refers to stoning homosexuals.
(h/t Digby)
This may not be as prejudiced as it sounds...still very disturbing...
A bit more from Adam B:
Born brain-damaged, the 70-year-old Lansdowne man held a job for 40 years, lived on his own, made friends, and was enjoying his retirement when he was beaten to death in January....
Murray Seidman left home at age 8 to live in Elwyn, a home for developmentally disabled children and adults, where he played clarinet in the marching band, his brother said.
After 20 years, he moved to a halfway house and eventually out on his own. He rose at 4:30 every morning to go to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital, where he worked in the laundry. He retired in 2009....
While working at the hospital, Murray Seidman met and befriended Thomas, a patient in the psychiatric ward, according to Lenny Seidman.
The two soon became friends and would bowl, go to the gym, play miniature golf, and shop for groceries together.
Thomas eventually had his name on Murray Seidman's bank account and could make withdrawals using a debit card, Lenny Seidman said....
Seidman gave Thomas power of attorney, according to court documents filed with Thomas' arrest. The pair also met with a lawyer to prepare a will that named Thomas executor and sole beneficiary.
Lenny Seidman said he confronted Thomas in phone conversation around Thanksgiving after learning that the younger man was seeking more money from his brother. He said that he lost his temper and that it was the last time he spoke to Thomas.
Reminded me of this...
Scarborough admitted in taped police interview that he hit Victor Manious with a bat, stuffed him in a car trunk after either 1) he was come on to, or 2) he woke up to find Manious performing oral sex on him, and in either scenario Scarborough felt that this violated his beliefs as a Southern Baptist, justifying the bat attack and all the rest of it — including the theft of Manious’s wallet and mobile phone. The Southern Baptist convictions of Scarborough also made him use the man’s credit cards for shopping sprees, gas and air fare to Texas.
Manious was alive when stuffed into the trunk — medical authorities said he would have survived if 911 had been called at the time Scarborough was “out of danger.”
The jury decided that, despite the ludicrous account and changing stories, Scarborough was indeed assaulted and the bat attack/murder/criminal spree didn’t merit a sentence of felony murder — they gave him manslaughter. It carries a 15 year max.