As much as Matt astounds me with his calm, indifferent air, I think Vanessa might top him. Not only is she indifferent, she has the most chilling way of being able to completely remove herself from the horror of which she speaks. I think if I were to discuss with someone a fictional murder of a fictional character in a murder fiction book I read, I'd have more emotion than this woman does talking to police while hiding what she knew about this cruel and premeditated murder of a woman she KNEW......that was murdered basically FOR her.....in the bed she slept with the woman's husband in. She seems completely emotionally unaffected by the murder of Kari. Completely removed from the horror. So matter of fact....are we done....can I go now.
Despite my feelings, I am very grateful to Vanessa for finally coming forward and telling the Judge, jury, Kari's family and the world what she knew about Kari's murder. I know it has changed her life and things are quite possibly almost unbearable for her right now. But I have to stop short of feeling sorry for her. Sure, she was a victim. Sorta. She's about 30% victim. 70% active participant in this tragedy. She could have kept this whole thing from happening. If she had only done what everyone else I know would have done, Kari would still be alive. Kensi and Grace would still have their Mother. But, alas, she did not. Now she has the chance to regain the balance of her life. She has the chance to grow from this. Change. Start over. Do better. Be better. And I pray that she does.
5 comments:
It may be wise to stop short of judging Vanessa, and the degree of her guilt.
If Matt Baker is capable of the act of murder--the murder of his wife and the mother of his children no less--then certainly he is capable of manipulation and the exploitation of a woman's vulnerability. Not to mention his documented pattern of sexually abusing other young women through out his past.
Sadly, if not Vanessa, it's highly likely that Matt Baker would have found another "reason" to murder his wife. Based on his own words (through the court testimony), he had murderous resentment brewing toward Kari for a long time.
I do agree that Vanessa is a victim of Matt. She must have been trapped between the starry and thrilling love affair, the guilt that would accompany such an affair with your married preacher, the knowledge that he is capable of cunning and murder, and the self-preservation and protective instinct for her daughter that would dominate once he had carried out that murder...
And yet... her demeanor truly does leave one aghast. It is chilling.
And yet... I do absolutely see her as a victim. Unless you have ever experienced it, there is just no way to describe the deception and the power that a sociopath uses to manipulate and control.
And yet... the fact does remain that she could have prevented Kari's murder, and chose not to. I shudder to think how Vanessa can live with that fact.
And yet... she ultimately spoke out. Whether self-motivated or not, she told the truth at last, which helped bring the evil Matt Baker to justice, when it seemed that nothing else would.
What a conundrum Vanessa is. I agree with Shannon. For her own sake and the sake of her daughter, it is hoped that Vanessa will work to balance things out in her life by devoting herself to making better choices every step of the way. I hope and pray that she will.
I believe that Vanessa was indeed a victim of Matt Baker.
I don't believe that Vanessa could have prevented Kari's death. Matt was too good at deflecting accusations. He had great alibis and was so well respected.
I think that Vanessa would not have been believed before Kari's death, just like the other women that Matt victimized.
She would have been portrayed as a distraught hysterical divorcee who had a crush on Matt. She would have been likened to Potipher's wife who had "lust" for Joseph.
Vanessa is a couragous woman to tell her story under close examination in court, knowing that she will be publically scrutinized for a long time.
"Anonymous," if the husband of your loved one was planning her death, and his mistress knew about it ahead of time... and he went ahead and murdered your loved one... and he got away with it...
Would you still find it so easy to excuse this woman's failure to speak up on the grounds that she might not have been believed if she had??
I can't imagine how painful it must be for Kari's family when people say things like this.
Seriously. Vanessa knew Matt intended to murder Kari. And Vanessa stood by and said nothing. She stood by and Kari was murdered. Fear of not being believed is not reason enough, in my opinion, to go ahead and let a murder take place!
Besides, even after Kari was killed, Vanessa stayed with the man who had committed this murder. She even planned to marry him, knowing full well what he had done.
Even worse, she kept quiet and lied about what she knew, allowing two vulnerable little girls to remain for four long years in the hands of the man who had murdered their mother.
Thank God Vanessa finally came clean. Yes, in some ways she was Matt's victim, too. But I will disagree with you that Vanessa deserves a pass for keeping quiet when she knew was in the works: the murder of a beautiful mother, daughter, granddaughter, sister, friend, precious child of God.
It's incredible just how complicit her participation in "planning" the murder really was - Ms Bullsh*t's testimony was so sweet and sugary compared to the cold calculating bitch she really is. Want Proof - listen between .36sex and 1m.01sec about the suicide note BEFORE and AFTER the murder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bZf70ZihYk
Such a nice lovely christian !!!
BURN MsBullsh*t !!!
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