I don’t know if Mr. Updyke is sick. I guess his attorney could request his client, Mr. Updyke be examined by a court appointed state psychiatrists and a private psychiatrists. I just don’t see him getting any sympathy from a district judge and jury in Lee County. Now, a federal judge!
The Feds stepped in and added charges. The nature of the Federal charges is not yet known. The Fed usually has some catch all charges just in case the state misses a conviction they don’t. Mr. Updyke did a stupid, irrational thing to begin with by poisoning the oak trees.
Then he followed up that stupid act with another stupid act when he called Finebaum and confessed to the crime of poisoning the trees and even gave the name of the chemicals used. State judge and now a federal judge is going to look at the facts of the crime and then Mr. Updyke’s confession on XM radio, and slam the defendant with a maximum period.
I didn’t know any of this about the trees until I read some article last week. I don’t remember the link. Sorry.
Statement concerning Toomers Trees:
Auburn University has taken offshoots from those oak trees and have planted Toomers Trees all over the place and have plaques stating the tree is from famous Toomers Corner oak trees in Auburn Alabama. The are several Toomers Trees planted at the Alabama state capitol building. Also just this past week one was to be planted at the US Capital building. A Florida US House of Representatives graduate from Auburn has spent time with paper work and shipping of a small 4 foot Toomers Oak plus plaque to US Capital grounds keeper. It is in ground keeper’s storage buildings or they may have just planted it this week. Many Auburn fans have planted small oak trees from the Toomers Trees.
Back to the case:
If guilty, the state will give his sentence in years and the gov’t will give his sentence in months. Updykes’s attorney may want to go the route of mental illness. Then the courts would have to decide his mental capability of standing trail.
I, personally think he should be hung, because if he is an Alabama fan, what classless, harmful, mean, criminal act. It reflects poorly upon the rest of the great Bama Nation fans and supporters.
If he is guilty then I hope in Lee County they can find 12 jurors that will convict. What if some fine citizen from Lee County wearing crimson colored sunglasses, doesn’t think evidence is enough and won’t convict? Wouldn’t that start a sh-t storm!