Dad kills neighbor accused of molesting girl

FAIRFIELD, Connecticut (AP) -- A lawyer climbed through a neighbor's bedroom window and stabbed him to death after being told by a family member that the man had molested his 2-year-old daughter, authorities say.

Barry James, 58, was stabbed in the chest nearly a dozen times Monday. The lawyer, Jonathon Edington, 29, was charged with murder and burglary and was released on $1 million bail Wednesday.

Capt. Gary MacNamara said that police had not received a complaint about the child being assaulted before the killing, and "we have no indication it's true or not true." (Watch how killing shocks quiet Connecticut neighborhood -- 1:32)

Edington's attorney, Michael Sherman, said the information came from Edington's wife. "The daughter gave the mother information which was alarming and disturbing. The mom relayed it to her husband. That was the spark," Sherman said.

James' 87-year-old mother discovered his body. When officers went to Edington's home, they found him standing by his kitchen sink with what appeared to be blood on him, and a large kitchen knife next to him on a counter, authorities said

"He's in shock," Edington's attorney said. "This is the most unexpected turn of events one can imagine with this young man's background."

Police had gone to the neighborhood before, when Edington called to complain that he could see James through a window, police said. "Either he was partly clothed or revealed parts of his anatomy that were inappropriate," MacNamara said.

Edington, a graduate of Syracuse University and Fordham University Law School, has been practicing patent law, Sherman said. Police said Edington has no criminal record.

Rita James declined to comment on her son's death.

James served two days behind bars in 2001 on a drunken driving charge, according to the state Correction Department.

"He had some bizarre behavior over the last month," said Darrell Maynard, a neighbor. "He drove his car through his garage, hit the other neighbor's building."

Another time a neighbor found James intoxicated on the street, Maynard said. James shouted obscenities at children, he said.

As for Edington, Maynard said: "Something had to happen that was terrible for this to have occurred." Edington "seemed like a computer geek or something. He was not anybody you would ever feel you were threatened by."

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WOW!


Don Cardi

What "wow"?? You don't think I'd be called down to bail you out if you suspected anyone of harming Little Miss Cardi?

Little Miss Cardi, DC Jr. or Mrs. Cardi. No question about it. God forbid of course my family and I were put in that situation, someone would definitely have to bail my ass out.

My wow was not a wow of being surprised. My wow was one of seeing a father doing what he felt he had to do to protect his family.


Don Cardi

If I found out someone was molesting my daughter...you better believe I'd track that sick bastard down and give him a beating worthy of the crime.

If it is indeed true that this man had molested this guy's daughter...then I say HELL YEA for the dad. And if it were proven that this Barry James was guilty of molesting this girl...it'll be a shame that the father will probably be sentenced to prison for the rest of his life for the murder of a sick, twisted son of a bitch. If Barry James were proven guilty...the father did the world a favor. He should be given a medal.

Unfortunately...all they have to go on is the testimony of a 2 year old girl.

They should give that father a medal, not charge him. If anybody ever touches my daughter, they're going to wish their father & mother had never met by the time I'm through.

As a parent of daughters, and a geek...well, I can't say I blame him.

It is my feeling that there has to be a whole lot more to this story for the father to just go and kill this guy on the word of a two year old child. A lot more that we are not being told about.


Don Cardi

I feel sorry for the dad. His little daughter and wife are going to need him home, but he's going to do time. I'm pretty sure that as a patent attorney, his income was substantial and the primary means of supporting his family. Their futures may unfortunately be adversely affected by this.

As much as I sympthize with him and his family and appreciate the rage that consumed him, I don't think he did his family a favor in the long run.

The man is innocent in my book. He did what he had to do. A jury probably won't see it that way. Hopefully he can get a hung jury though.

He was a little extreme though. I would have just cut the guy's stuff off.

"Accused" is the operative word here, but I'll let Plawrence drive us down that boulevard...

Stabbing is a nasty business. In fact, I imagine that it is the nastiest of the lot. I think I'd rather strangle somebody.

I'd rather seen him not killing the other guy, but sueing him.

That way the offender goes to jail, and the good guy is still free. It's better than what happened now, cause now the little girl is hurt twice. Once for (possibly) being assaulted, second time for her dad doing time.
I only hope he will do less time in jail for extenuating circumstances.

However, he did murder.

Can someone with more knowledge about legal systems tell me; if whether the guy assaulted the daughter or not has any influence on the penalty given to the dad?

It very well may, he'll probably get second degree murder instead of first, and depending on the sympathies of the jury and judge, he may get a lighter sentence as well.

Gee whiz, Capo. Thanks a lot. :rolleyes:

I'll pass and let this one die out on its own. Only one or two more to be heard from.

It wouldn't matter from a technical standpoint. What is relevant is the defendant's state of mind, and was he reasonable in thinking that his daughter was assaulted. This would affect the question of the degree to which he may be guilty.

An example. The law excuses actions, otherwise criminal, if done in self-defense. Self-defense is that amount of force necessary to protect oneself. If a staggering drunk starts a fist fight with you, you can't shoot him and his friends. Deadly force is permissible only when confronted with deadly force.

Now if a jury decides the defendant is reasonable to assume he's confronted with deadly force when, in fact, he's not (i.e., the robber pretending to have a gun under his coat), deadly force is permissible under the doctrine of self-defense.

I was formerly a criminal defense attorney, and in the case of this poor dad, I would certainly argue the dad's unbearable mental strain of reasonably believing that this idiot had sexually assaulted his daughter resulted in a diminished capacity, such that he could not be held responsible for his actions. This could give a juror or more something to hang their hats on in acquitting him, but it's a tough road. Courts do not look favorably upon those who take the law into their own hands as it sets a disturbing precedent, and you can imagine what it might lead to.

Anyway, what may hurt this dad in a diminished capacity defense is that he secured a knife, broke into a neighbor's home (burglary), went to the bedroom and stabbed the guy repeatedly. It was thought out and executed. It would have been better, had the killing taken place in close proximity (in time and geography) to the alleged assault.

Sorry about the length of this.

This guy had the right idea. If anyone ever touched my hypothetical son or daughter, you'd better believe he's a deadman.

It very well may, he'll probably get second degree murder instead of first, and depending on the sympathies of the jury and judge, he may get a lighter sentence as well. [/QB][/QUOTE]


I thought that maybe some of you might be interested in a thumbnail sketch of the degrees of homicide with respect to this matter.

First Degree Murder. This is a killing that involves malice aforethought- an intent to kill. It also requires premeditation to kill, but even if that intent to kill was formed a second before the act, it could still be deemed premeditation. An example of this would be Michael Corleone killing Solozzo and McCluskey.

By the way, in that scenario, Tessio, Clemenza, Sonny and Tom are also equally guilty of conspiracy for their roles.

Second Degree Murder. This varies among jurisdictions, but in Pennsylvania it is a killing done in the course of committing a felony. This would be robbing a convenient store and when the clerk resists, the robber shoots him.

Third Degree murder. This is like first degree without premeditation in most states. It's a fine distinction. This would include shooting someone while in the heat of an argument. First degree is cold blooded while third is hot blooded.

Voluntary manslaghter. This involves a death resulting from intentionally engaging in reckless behavior that unintentionally results in a person's death. If Sonny ended up killing Carlo in the streetfight, that would likely qualify as voluntary manslaughter although the Don's friends on the bench could secure a more favorable result.

Involuntary manslaughter This involves deaths caused by the defendant's unintentional carelessness. Accidentally driving through a red light and striking the crossing guard. This is a misdemeanor and often doesn't involve jail time.

I am glad the father did what he did. If the neighbor did molest his daughter and went through due process and was found guilty the world is still better that he his dead. I am completely convinced that child molestors can not be rehibilitated. No amount of medication and counseling can help them. Better off trying to rehibilitate crack heads.

Pfft, he shouldn't have went nuts. Just waited until he could have knocked him out, taken him someplace for a drive (a one-way drive...), and then proceeded to have his way with him.

While it may be tempting to go the vigilante route, I think that this man did the furthest thing from acting like a man. Instead of trying to follow the law, he took it into his own hands. Now, when his wife and daughter need him most, they will simply be the center of a media circus.

Although as a mother, I would want to slowly and methodically kill anyone who I suspected of touching one of my children, I would hope to be strong enough to be there for them when I felt they needed me most. Sitting in a jail cell for some undetermined time certainly wouldn't be of any help to my babies. It would only give me some temporary sense of relief from my anger.

Nah. I'd be sure to show him the business end of my 12-gauge. And that would be long after he'd been...relieved of some of his intangibles.

Besides, we'd find a good hiding place for him. Something that suits a piece of garbage.

Yeah, we Connecticutians don't fuck around. We ol' skool, son.

That's right.

Just don't eat the sausage for awhile. :p