Talk:Eric Smith (murderer)

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I think people should stop being so preoccupied with our family, I mean camera crews at a funeral, is not right. We are all still grieving over erics father ted,my uncle, and all you cared about was getting into the funeral to make sure he was dead. thank god there was security. It goes to show that despite our family's imperfections, there are still good things coming from it. As not only a member of the family, but as someone who has been ridiculed over the subject, I say to you leave us alone, because there are worse things going on in the world, we are not the only people with a family member in prison! The only reason this is an issue is because your families perhaps are not as interesting and unique as ours!-EVD —Preceding unsigned comment added by 168.169.97.215 (talk) 14:00, 8 January 2008 (UTC)

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The article should say what penalty he was sentenced to. --64.165.112.146 22:51, 26 October 2007 (UTC)

~~ I think this is a hoax

well i'm his cosin and it is all true but you guys should stop acting like he was such a bad person because he was malested when he was little So if you have any comments Write to 9608 fleet road hammondsport ny 14840 and I'll write back
Do you think the entire article is a hoax, that there was no Eric Smith who murdered a young child? HistoryBA 00:09, 16 November 2005 (UTC)

It isnt, i found a link, and i seriously doubt you his cousin --NeverLogic 03:19, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

You wanna bet? his mom is my moms sister we are related by blood!!!!
  • Eric deserves to stay in jail for the rest of his sorry life! What he did to Derrick Robie was disgusting. TripleH1976 3, February 2006, 08:39 pm (UTC)


I just thought I'd add my two cents:

Derrick Robie was my best friend. His mother, Doreen, babysat my sister and I and I grew up with him. We would watch the Elephant Show and sing to my mother when she came to pick my sister and I up. We'd hold hands and giggle and tell our parents "We're goin' on a DATE!" I was supossed to start kindergarden the school year following the summer he was killed...I was also supossed to be walking with him to the summer recreation thing that was going on so I could practice walking to school, but my mother switched her shift at the hospital the night before for one reason or another. I would have been with him the day he was killed. I don't know if my being there would have prevented this murder, or if I would have ended up with him. I'm 18 now, and am about to graduate highschool. Derrick will never have that oppertunity.

Eric was a messed up kid, simply put. That doesn't mean that he's suitable to be among people now. He was a danger to society then, and he's a danger to society now.

http://www.pennyslaw.com/derrick_robie.htm

That's the little boy I knew, and that's what Eric did to him. Read it all for yourself.

I plan to go to the next parole hearing to watch Eric be denied parole again. And I'll go the time after, and the time after.

If you'd like to contact me, feel free. youroneinsixbillion@hotmail.com

Thanks.

Good I encourage you to attend the next parole hearing. As the years go by, the focus will shift more and more on Eric Smith. And how he's changed and deserves a second chance. Derrick needs his family and friends to attend the parole hearing in order to humanize Derrick. Without them Derrick is forgotten. The parole board needs to hear that Derrick is still missed and his life meant a lot to so many people. Fighting for Justice 06:38, 21 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] 2nd chance

Have you ever been the center of abuse? At a young age? Not liked? Well I have, we all cry out for attention in diffrent ways. This kid was dieing to be a part of somthing in some way. It wasn't right for him to kill, but in his mind I'd say he though if someone was in distress and he could help kids would like him, and want him to be apart of there games, not be the game!Give the now man a chance that he wasn't givin as a kid, if your wrong put him back! He deserves the chance to live, work and all the stuff he had to learn behind bars. He might just amaze you! Or you just might be scared you could be wrong. We all learn from our misstakes!! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Changedman (talk • contribs) 07:11, 19 March 2007 (UTC).


Almost two years later. I still think about everything that had been said, and after avoiding looking at this page again, I finally did it. Thinking about it, I have no doubt that if Derrick were still alive, he and I would still be close. On second thought, there are a few doubts. We'll never be able to know because that opportunity was stolen from him.

I will not claim to speak for anyone else involved with this case. I speak only for myself. This is a hard thing for me to explain, but I guess I'll jump right in:

I've been able to (somewhat) forgive Eric for taking my best friend away from me. That in NO WAY means that I'm alright with the fact, but I've come to terms with it. I know he was troubled. I know he grew up in a home that was (for lack of a better term) disfunctional. I know he was picked on. I can't blame him for being as unstable as he is.

I was picked on, too. I came from a disfunctional (and yes, abusive) home. I understand the pain that Eric went through as a young child and it DOES get to be overbearing at times. Eric was hurt, alone, and had no proper upbringing to teach him right from wrong. I can't blame him for that.

Just because I'm saying this does not mean that I in any way condone his actions. I still believe that he is a dangerous person. I honestly think that he is a genuine psychopath. He has taken a life and therefore must pay the dire consequences. I guess I just can't blame him for being human, imperfect, and unable to control and understand his feelings, experiences, or emotions. That is who he is.

I'm not sure how I feel about the whole "Second Chance" thing. I mean, I wholeheartedly believe that everyone has the ability to change and that everyone should have the right to a second chance. On the other hand, while reading the letter that he wrote to Derrick's family, he showed no signs of remorse. It's as though he has no conscience, no morals, no sense of black and white, right and wrong. That's why I believe that he's not fit to be with the public again. He can say that he's sorry as many times as he wants, but that does not mean that he actually feels it. He knows what to say and how to say it, but every apologetic word is empty. That's why I believe he is a psychopath (yes, that IS an actual disorder) and is not fit to be re-introduced into life.

Hmm. I guess that was an extremely round-about way of saying: "I forgive him for what he is, but not necessarily what he's done."

Please remember that I'm not siding with Smith. Good Lord, if I did that...ugh. I don't know. I just felt the need to tell as many people that would listen that I've accepted it. 15 years later, I've finally accepted it.

The last thing I'd like to say before I cut this boring crap out is this: Opinions are wonderful things. Every human has their own opinion and the right to that. This is my request to everyone. Let your opinions be based on LOGIC, your own point of view, and your own personal feelings. AND CONSIDER OTHER HUMAN BEINGS! I don't understand what is so hard about that. I really don't! Why go out of your way to word something in a way that you KNOW may hurt someone else when there are billions of other ways to say something that presents it in a much more intelligent and empathetic way?

Just think about someone else. ANYONE else. That's how the girl that went on "dates" with Derrick Robie was able to forgive the boy that crushed his skull. I loved Derrick. He was my best friend. I was with him all day, everyday. And yet, because I am able to realize that humans are what they are, I'm able to forgive.

Thanks, everyone. I mean that. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.32.155.212 (talk) 20:58, 2 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Occupation

Smith's current occupation is prisoner. "Murderer" is not an occupation unless you're a hired killer, and then the more accurate description would be "criminal" or "career criminal." -- Cecropia 20:34, 17 June 2007 (UTC) Hey, I don't condone what he has done... But I think he should be given the chance to live life! Give the guy a chance!!! You want to bring the Bible in to it try "Forgive others unto you will be Forgiven too" I'd give my life to PROVE HE COULD BE A KIND CIVIL MAN THAT WANTS TO TRY! Give him a taste of life. You want him to fail!!!72.69.85.176 06:09, 30 September 2007 (UTC)Frank

You all know the discussion pages are for discussing the article, right? Anyway, if he is still incarcerated, as it seems, I think "prisoner" trumps "student" as far as his occupation goes. It seems he doesn't really have a proper occupation at all, though. Maybe we should just omit this?71.63.119.49 (talk) 17:31, 31 December 2007 (UTC)


And about the "wanting him to fail" part. There is not one ounce of me that wants Eric Smith to fail. Not. One. BIT. I'd love for him to be able to change. I just believe that he has a disorder that prevents him from changing.

Then again, he may be able to learn. He'd be able to learn to control the violent urges and learn what is right and what is wrong. But with a lack of conscience comes a lack of sorrow. He'd never truly FEEL sorry for what he's done. He'd never feel guilt.

And please don't omit this. Any of it. I'm happy to see that so many people are aware of what has happened and that some are even cheering for Eric to get better and change. I'm glad that everyone has a valid opinion, whether it's different than my own or not. I'm glad that others feel so deeply about a subject that I, too, feel strongly about. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.32.155.212 (talk) 21:05, 2 February 2008 (UTC)