5J

Was it fair to blame Hunter for John Spencer's suicide?

No I would blame the higher ups for making the rush to judgement. Hunter wanted to hunt further for the killer.

no. The blame was with the administration and the court system. They forced Hunter to give up on the case even though it never felt right to him

No, suicide is a persons choice. She should blame those above Hunter that closed the case even though he knew they should keep it open.

No, but blaming others is a way of dealing with grief. She blamed everybody and she would not know that Robert was forced to drop the case.

No it wasn't fair at all. Robert was doing what he had been told to do and he even fought against it. He can't control the administration or the court system. Of course without her blaming him we wouldn't have had a book:)

I agree with Jen, Spencer made the decision to take his own life; he, and he alone, is responsible.

I wondered why the Judge wasn't blamed and on her hit list. Definitely not fair to blame Robert.

>8 Andrew-theQM: I thought about the judge also but then rethinking it the judge only carries out the decision of the jury so he really wasn't...in her mind at lest...at fault.

>9 Carol420: Fair point but doesn't s/he decide the sentence or is it different in the US. In the U.K. The jury decides innocence or guilt but the judge decides the length or type of sentence.

>10 Andrew-theQM: some crimes have minimum mandatory sentences and extra time is at the judges discretion up to a certain level. Death penalty cases have to go back to the jury to vote for death or life in prison (at least here in CA)

I can't remember if this was a death penalty case or not

>11 bhabeck: I think he was due to be given the death penalty wasn't he. That is a big onus on a jury!

Spencer wouldn't have been in a position to commit suicide if he hadn't been wrongly convicted.
The blame mainly lies with the upper administration since Hunter expressed concern that they had the wrong guy. Hunter didn't have the authority to override his superior's decision, so he shouldn't be blamed.