Patty Hearst-Criminal Or Victim?
Patty Hearst--Criminal or Victim?
Although most Americans agree on what is considered to be a crime, not everyone agrees with punishments. What are common views on crimes? What are common views on punishments? Should the punishment match the crime? Should the punishment be more severe than the crime? What happens to the victim of crimes? American’s ask all these questions on a daily basis all across the United States. The majority of society in the United States says that crimes are “a grave offense especially against mortality”(“Crime”). Many say that criminals’ punishments should be equal to or more severe than the crime that was committed. Patty Hearst not only was a victim of a kidnapping in 1974, but was also brought before the court …show more content…
Cameras from the bank recorded Hearst holding a carbine rifle during the robbery (“Radically”). Low and behold, this wasn’t Patty’s only encounter with publicity and guns. In May of 1974, Hearst and the SLA group open fired outside a Los Angeles sporting goods store to free SLA member Bill Harris, detained for shoplifting. FBI Agent Charles Bates said, “(Hearst) pointed an M-1 Carbine and fired the whole clip. And then she took another rifle and shot some more. As I recall, there was about 30 shots, and there were people walking along the sidewalk…Thank God she missed them”(“Radically”). Hearst and the fellow SLA Members made a getaway in a van and accidently left behind a parking ticket, which led the authorities to their whereabouts. The following day, Los Angeles police surrounded a house where most SLA members were staying (“Radically”). A massive shooting occurred and the house ended up engulfed in flames (“Radically”). A few more criminal actives, such as the bank robbery and the shootout at the sports goods store, occurred within the following few …show more content…
Patty stayed out of the spotlight until the release of her autobiography in 1982 (“Radically”). She then acted in a few movies. One of which was to raise awareness of Stockholm syndrome. A syndrome in which the victim of abduction or kidnapping is abused and later finds compassion and sympathizes with the abusers. Prior to this movie, many did not know that Patty Hearst suffered from Stockholm syndrome. She claims that because she suffered from this syndrome, she was not fully aware of her decisions while in custody of the SLA Group. Hearst now has two children and is happily living with her husband in Connecticut (“Radically”).
Some people say that Patty Hearst got what she deserved by being kidnapped because, “she was a spoiled rich kid.” Others believe that no person should get kidnapped and treated the way Hearst was treated. American society’s views about kidnapping drastically changed after the abduction of Patty Hearst. America’s society has left an imprint of safety measures to prevent kidnapping. With crime steadily increasing in the United States, it is important for one to be aware of their surroundings at all times, and most importantly know how to defend
Although most Americans agree on what is considered to be a crime, not everyone agrees with punishments. What are common views on crimes? What are common views on punishments? Should the punishment match the crime? Should the punishment be more severe than the crime? What happens to the victim of crimes? American’s ask all these questions on a daily basis all across the United States. The majority of society in the United States says that crimes are “a grave offense especially against mortality”(“Crime”). Many say that criminals’ punishments should be equal to or more severe than the crime that was committed. Patty Hearst not only was a victim of a kidnapping in 1974, but was also brought before the court …show more content…
Cameras from the bank recorded Hearst holding a carbine rifle during the robbery (“Radically”). Low and behold, this wasn’t Patty’s only encounter with publicity and guns. In May of 1974, Hearst and the SLA group open fired outside a Los Angeles sporting goods store to free SLA member Bill Harris, detained for shoplifting. FBI Agent Charles Bates said, “(Hearst) pointed an M-1 Carbine and fired the whole clip. And then she took another rifle and shot some more. As I recall, there was about 30 shots, and there were people walking along the sidewalk…Thank God she missed them”(“Radically”). Hearst and the fellow SLA Members made a getaway in a van and accidently left behind a parking ticket, which led the authorities to their whereabouts. The following day, Los Angeles police surrounded a house where most SLA members were staying (“Radically”). A massive shooting occurred and the house ended up engulfed in flames (“Radically”). A few more criminal actives, such as the bank robbery and the shootout at the sports goods store, occurred within the following few …show more content…
Patty stayed out of the spotlight until the release of her autobiography in 1982 (“Radically”). She then acted in a few movies. One of which was to raise awareness of Stockholm syndrome. A syndrome in which the victim of abduction or kidnapping is abused and later finds compassion and sympathizes with the abusers. Prior to this movie, many did not know that Patty Hearst suffered from Stockholm syndrome. She claims that because she suffered from this syndrome, she was not fully aware of her decisions while in custody of the SLA Group. Hearst now has two children and is happily living with her husband in Connecticut (“Radically”).
Some people say that Patty Hearst got what she deserved by being kidnapped because, “she was a spoiled rich kid.” Others believe that no person should get kidnapped and treated the way Hearst was treated. American society’s views about kidnapping drastically changed after the abduction of Patty Hearst. America’s society has left an imprint of safety measures to prevent kidnapping. With crime steadily increasing in the United States, it is important for one to be aware of their surroundings at all times, and most importantly know how to defend