The kid should never have gotten out. If he's so dangerous that he needs to be closely monitored then he should NOT be a normal part of a normal society.
The kid was being drugged with sertraline, a dangerous psychiatric substance linked to many psychotic outbreaks with tragic consequences. Dr. Grande, being a part of the pharma and medical industries, conveniently forgot to mention it.
It would make zero difference for me. But especially when a child is involved. That is the worst kind of murderer. Even some murderers won't hurt kids, have to be special kind of evil to hurt innocent kids.
@@vrjanice2 What the hell?!! Him being adopted had nothing to do with it?? I was adopted and my parents never once made me feel like I wasn't blood related even though I obviously am not. They treated me as if I were their own! And Eric did get special treatment, especially from his grandparents. He was not treated like a step ford child, he was spoiled brat! You obviously don't know this case or you would not have made such an ignorant comment.😑
@Erika damn I was adopted too and was not offended by his comment. Take a deep breath. Not everyone treats people with the same standards you do. Hence the state of the world.
The parents of the murdered boy had to go to the parole hearings every two years and relive this nightmare. And as of February he is on parole. There is something seriously wrong with a system where the parents of a darling 4 year old have to relive that anguish every two years. It is like living in purgatory. It makes it impossible for them to truly get on with their lives.
not many countries in the world incarcerate children, either... they use other methods to get them mental health help and reintegrate them in society before it's too late for them. Other kids in the world have killed... it's not great, but when there's overfocus on punishing and not on reform, then yeah, you'll get an individual who shouldn't be let back out into society.
There's also something seriously wrong with a mother sending her FOUR YEAR OLD son to walk to camp by himself. It's unbelievable to me. He was fucking four. Essentially a TODDLER. That is neglectful at the absolute LEAST.
@@e.a.4926It was a tiny town where everyone knew everyone, in 1992, and it was one block with no streets to cross and a route he had taken dozens of times. And Derrick was about to turn 5. Don’t you dare blame his mother.
If he had just killed Derek by hitting or strangling him, I might be able to believe that this was a rage blackout of a desperate kid… but the sexual element is disturbing. I feel that shows another level of cruelty and an enjoyment in violence.
I think beating a young child to death with rocks for no reason whatever is disturbing enough even without the grisly sexual aspect. If anything at least sex makes it more normal. He could claim he was an oppressed homosexual or something.
Feels like a bad move letting that guy out. Decades in prison, on parole for the rest of his life, he ruined his life. Up to 11 parole hearings, he just stopped saying how killing a young boy was some kind of valid decision. He probably still thinks it.
I wonder what his life was like now he’s out he’s staying w family, he kept poking around and they get caught., now he’s a man w the mentality still young and I wonder what he’s like even as dating man
@@todeskult2818 All the most dangerous serial killers started at a young age. If he never got caught, he would have continued killing because he still thought it was not a big deal years later.
He knew what he was doing, and somebody taught it to him. They should have arrested the whole family, until some explanations were given. I grew up with some pretty violent little kids, and I can tell you, it was always always traceable back to mom and dad.
I'm sickened that he was released. The parents of the child he TORTURED are probably beyond sickened! Wonder how long until he does it again??! A "normal" person doesn't do what he did to that little child.
Some times the left trys to make it out that bullying made this behavior. Isnt it more likely this kid was born fucked up and thevother kids could sents it and thats why he was bullied? Bulling is normal behavior to exclude or to shame weirdos like this guy to run them off. Same with the parklen kid they bullied him calls they all knew he was a weirdo killer in the making. One look at this kid with his crazy red hair and I could tell he needs to be on a no gun by list and closely observed by the FBI.
Anyone capable of hurting a child like this should never be part of the general public. Period. All they learn in prison is how to not get caught when they do it again.
you know kids hurt other kids, sometimes they just throw a punch, sometimes they bite and other times they stab. So almost every kid is capable hurting another child. Of course murder is a different story.
You obviously have never been in prison. I learned the opposite of what you are saying here. Shows how educated you are in matters like this. God bless
@@DMalltheway He's still a risk to society. People like you don't care because you don't have to deal with people like him. They don't release his type in your fancy gated community.
@@christiandenault7606 Stop getting mad because you didn't comprehend the comment. No one was rude to you. The comment was clearly referring to Eric's mother. What does this man's race have to do with him correcting you, you must be embarrassed you were corrected by a Black man. If he didnt have a profile pic you would never said that. But you saw that and ran with it. Typical.
I feel like it's inevitable Eric will inflict harm on someone or ,more likely, multiple people during his time out of prison. Let's just hope it doesn't end up in another murder.
It's like he refused to show remorse for years and now all of a sudden he's remorseful 🤔 Eric is engaged, so maybe he tried to make sure to get out for his fiance
Yep just like those 2 kids in the UK that killed a little kid. They were released received new identities and went on to commit horrible crimes against children.
In Canada we have an alternative for cases like this. If someone is deemed to be dangerous forever, they can be incarcerated for life as a Dangerous Offender. It is seldom used, but sometimes necessary for the protection of the public.
Okay never heard of it. Probably because in Canada you can kill anyone and be out free in 5 years or less. Canada is a fucking joke when it comes to punishing murderers.
I was 17 when this horrible crime happened and I assumed he'd never see the light of day again. He's so phony in his "apologies" I don't know why the parole board is fooled by his empty words.
He had learnt from his few parole failures to say & act out his remorsefulness better. They let him out because he must have gave an Oscar-worthy performance then.
@@rebeccaliew2247 the transcript is available on youtube. There is nothing overly insightful or convincing about what he said. I did not gain any confidence he wont reoffend from his words.
@@Caper1144 I doubt his early teenage, sadistic & depression-addled brains that time was developed enough to realise that you don't take revenge on your bullies by killing people. And then to defend himself, his socially-inept self took many parole interviews to figure that him saying his sadistic truth upfront will deny him freedom. Over the years, he 'honed his acting craft' & figured the right words to get him out of jail.
See it this way - if a 'common' disorders like BPD, ADHD or even depression require so much effort, years of therapy and work on individuals that are usually highly intelligent and sane, imagine psychopaths that are clueless, without empathy, sexually deranged with all kinds of twisted sadistic features. There is no hope for them, ever. Once diagnosed and caught, should be jailed for life, at the very least. No parole, no mercy.
Who said he was a psychopath? Psychopathy is not necessary to commit a murder like this. All that was necessary was a strong aggressive impulse, which many people already have. Being 13 limited his conscience about as much as psychopathy ever could. Only someone with a very limited conscience believes it is fully formed by that age. Releasing him at middle age and keeping him on parole was about as good a decision as they could make. He's well past the age where most aggression takes place, so the remaining risk is that he'll double-down on the only identity he has, which is "murderer". So, that's where supervision comes into play.
@@somexp12 I think one could safely assume he was a psychopath by the crimes he committed and his lack of ability to read the room 11 times when his own life depended on it.
@@seersha2937 Most sadistic murderers are not psychopaths. And psychopaths are plenty capable of "reading the room." They're actually quite personable scum bags. What makes them dangerous is not a lack of empathy so much as it is a problem with rules and authority. On the contrary, murderers are more often the type to attribute moral qualities to empathy. People such as yourself, likely. That's how they justify it. "If I'm not feeling it, it must not be serious." And no one feels everything, no matter how serious. This makes empathy junkies among the most callous characters you'll ever meet. Their egos will not allow them to acknowledge issues they do not empathize with.
Seeing the look in his eyes and hearing him talk after he was released, gave me the creeps. Regardless of age and meantal status, he is sick and dangerous. Releasing him at all is irresponsible, regardless of the the law normally does.
It funny. I just watched one where a six year old shot his teacher and all the bleeding hearts think it was just a mishap. Because children are not responsible for their actions.
@@kamelaparis7489 he went to psychologist and psychiatrist programs during prison time and has a family that can support him so let think he won't mess with anybody again
This case reminds me so much of the horrible murder of little James Bulger. The difference here is that the killer of little Derrick Robbie is well known and don't get to change his name and have protected identity (how sick is that?). I don't think this man should be released out in the community, perhaps he may be sent to a facility to get treatment for his mental health issues, but after spending all his life in prison with other criminals, I don't see any way for him to not be a threat for others, specially young children. Hopefully he returns to prison soon for a minor violation of his parole rules.
A word on Factor. These meals were a Godsend for us to send to our 94 year old father still living alone 1500 miles away. He had many delicious choices and the variety was amazing. It really changed his life bc it came right to his door, and he easily figured out the heating instructions. He was also able to host a friend or two with the meals. They are tasty and the presentation is nice.
why are u living 1500 miles away from your father? that means he hardly ever sees you! you shd b caring for him and visiting him every sunday or something.
Lauren, how old are you? My dad doesn’t want to move. We have asked him to live with us many times. I can’t put a gun to his head and force him to move across the country. We visit often and pay someone to help him. He grudgingly lets that person help. You have to respect your parents’ wishes. We visit very often but can’t move there at this time.
@@melindadurchholz3738 you are a PEACH! and old folks can b stubborn eh!! my close friend has an 89 yr old father who also refuses to move. until they have an emergency and find themselves on the floor for many hours, unable to move, etc.
@@Lauren-vd4qeWe did talk him into assisted living but they kicked him out! We found one that liked older seniors and they liked him but he thought the other people his age were too old! We almost had him talked into moving in with us but then he had a medical thing and couldn’t travel safely.
Well our penal system is not for reformation. It could be however right now it is not. People are more in favor of punishment rather than reformation. The likely hood of him being institutionalized and going back in is very high. It is a shame. Getting a job is going to be very hard. Any job application he applies for he will have to tell them he is a convicted felon. This will make getting a job difficult if not impossible. He can still make it though. Becoming a barber, getting his CDL will make it possible for him to earn a living. He is really going to need his family to make it though.
@@jharris3267 Ha! That family of his? Who let him be bullied for years and years, then failed to watch his back once he got into REAL trouble? Then turned him in to the authorities? THAT family? He'd be better off with something like the "Fortune Society". Our penal system CAN reform people if they WANT to accept the help and change their thinking. Problem is that most criminals like being criminals and have no interests in changing their ways. They come from dysfunctional families and grow up in high crime neighborhoods, filled with social pathologies. Some make it, some don't. If you can't normalize a child's personality by age 8, they're done. The answer is to focus on children's development early on. Also we got to back to discouraging unfit people from breeding. Pay cash to them for getting vasectomies and tubes tied.
Oh, Eric Smith. This kid was an absolute sadistic monster, this was one story that churned my stomach when I learned about it and what he did to that poor boy Derrick. I didn’t know he was released, I don’t think he should’ve been. He became worse than the bullies he hated, some animals should be kept in their pens.
The portion of the brain that helps humans understand morality is something that isn't fully developed until the age we refer to as "adulthood." Good luck
@@todeskult2818 13- year -olds most certainly do have "personalities." They have not yet fully formed a moral code, but even that they are not completely devoid of.
The reason that he even came up for parole is that it is unconstitutional for juveniles to be sentenced to life in prison without parole. This is due to the brain and reasoning not being fully mature.
Eric's mother was on Tridione, a medicine for epilepsy that was known to cause the very physical and emotional side effects that he experienced. Years ago I saw a video of Eric raging as a child--you could tell it was not a lack of discipline --there was something wrong. My heart went out to that family. I don't know what is right here.
@@tb-dv1zc I think you have misunderstood CelticBearWoman's comment. She did not imply bad parenting at all, quite the opposite. The medication that Eric's mother had to take for epilepsy could have had some effects in Eric's development if it were taken during her pregnancy. She said based on the video she saw that Eric's outbursts were not through a lack of discipline. Not that he was the product of bad parenting. That kid just had something seriously wrong with him. In every photo there's just something missing from his eyes.
You're using absolute, all-or-nothing thinking i.e. "no way," and a negative slant, i.e. "another probable murder" when you have very little insight into the man's current mental health or what he's thinking. You watched a 15-minute video assessment by Dr Grande, and it seems you know better than the persons in position to have made those decisions.
It is possible for him to be a better human, I hope he is better, since he was a child when the crime occurred. Let’s keep the finger cross, not sure who would give him a job?
@@wholeshebang1 he deserves a second chance only because he was a child, but I wouldn’t stay alone with him anywhere. Hope he gets a lot psychological help, it is possible he didn’t asked to be born with some kind of problem, and his parents probably didn’t either.
@@laurenmay2098 You only have that opinion because he probably doesnt live near you. If he did you'd nope the fuck outta there. He's a write-off. Let's not pretend otherwise. You have a great personality to be his next victim lols.
This has echoes of the Bulger case in England. I will resist typing how that horror-story still unfolds. In my opinion, guaranteeing the safety of us law-abiding citizens and our children must remain a greater concern than any thoughts for a murderers liberty.
I thought about that case too. At least one of them re-offended with possession and distribution of CP no less. Theses two pieces of human garbage shouldn't had the chance to see the light again. Kids or not. But here we are, with the 2 of them living their lives free, a thing that poor kid who was sadically killed never had the chance to do.
Derrick Robie was a beautiful little boy who was well liked in his community. I always felt that Eric Smith murdered Derrick because he was everything Eric wasn't. I hope that Eric will not harm anyone else, but personally I would have never released him. As always Dr. Grande I enjoyed your analysis and the conversation in the comments section
That poor mother of Derrick. I don’t know how she ever learned to live with this. Wasn’t Eric’s home life also troublesome? I wonder if, as a child, Eric might also have been sexually abused? My two oldest sons were red headed snd had freckles. My oldest had a tough time in school until about 5th grade when he started to finally make friends. He got bullied quite a bit, as did my youngest son but they never hurt anyone. I think having a stable, loving home makes a difference for kids like this. Kids need a soft place to land and that place should be home. If a kid like Eric doesn’t have that, I can see how the rage can build. It’s no excuse, of course, but it is a contributing factor, I believe.
Many people have horrible things happen to them. That he was bullied is very sad, but does not alter the risk he poses to others, or excuses the torture inflicted on an innocent victim.
That’s such BS! I was bullied in middle school and I would never think of doing something like that! I would never hurt a little kid. I can’t believe they let him out!
Everybody's breaking point is different. True, it's not an excuse but it's actually a very logical explanation. Eric was likely bullied, beaten, tortured and terrorized MERCILESSLY, to an extreme monster-creating degree that almost no one could've survived.
I am a child of the 80s, this is one of the first cases that broke my heart when I tried to understand the evil in the world growing up. Still breaks my heart to hear it today. Eric rot in hell, not freed!
Headed to Heaven thanks to Jesus. I won't rot in Hell because Jesus died in my place. Same for you....John 3:16-17. God Bless and I will pray you find Jesus someday.
I was bullied relentlessly as a kid. I had my first friend when i was in 6th grade (11 yro). I'm an INFP and mostly internalized it. Then my brother got me into martial arts and after 3 self-defense skirmishes at the start of 7th grade, I never had systemic problems after that.
Schools not taking bullying seriously is a big part of many problems from victim’s underachievement to depression to suicide and to those few victims who become more psychopathic. And the bullies themselves usually become more cruel if they face little to no consequences.
My youngest child was bullied relentlessly at school because her brother had schizophrenia. " Your brother's a loony". I took her out ( far to late in retrospect )to homeschool after years of trying to engage with the school to address the issues she was suffering and being met with a blank wall. She internalised her distress which led to self harm. As a woman in her 20's now she still struggles with self esteem issues. We live in the UK and despite a lot of lip service being spouted, the damaging effects of bullying are not recognised. " Just ignore them" is not good enough. I feel for both sets of parents. Devasting.
I can't believe they let this guy out of prison. He's a menace to society. He hasn't a conscience and he's sadistic. Parents should be terrified in Queens knowing he's on the loose. I have a bad feeling about this. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think we've heard the last of him. He didn't deserve to be released after what he did to that little boy, and I don't have confidence in his rehabilitation.
I wonder who's fault is it if the boy/girl becomes a bully in school. I remember my mom always telling me to look out for my younger brother and never mistreat anyone or use bad words to insult other kids. Absolutely never making fun of anyone for any reason. Sleepover and gossiping about other kids is absolutely prohibited. We never talked back to teachers or any other adult for that matter. I vividly remember us being very very busy studying, or PE in school, or playing outside with ropes and hide and seek, and many other games involving so much running outside in our yard.
Fault is with the parents My kids were taught to never bully anyone and they never did To respect others and to show compassion for all life No doubt his parents were bully's themselves
@@lisamac8503 Sounds as if you think parents have control over their kids. I regret to inform you this is not true. A parent can try to influence, can try to use religion to make the kid decent, can threaten, punish (doesn't work, by my observation), but the fact is, you can't MAKE anybody do anything. One thing we do know, parents must provide physical, psychological, and emotional support, but even that's not always enough. Certainly, parents can bully their kids, and that might produce bullies, but this is a very complicated, important problem, and we probably don't have the tools, yet, to solve it. Which doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
I hope his finally understands what he did to that sweet little boy and kills himself, or that his own mother does it, how can she live with herself knowing she gave birth to that monster. What truly evil people, they should right this wrong and take themselves out.
Something that was mentioned by Eric’s older sister at the time, I believe is the most important missing puzzle piece in this case.. The “dad” of Eric, possibly step dad, was sexually abusing his kids, according to his sister, he abuse not only her, but Eric as well.. So, not only bullied by his peers but, sexually humiliated by his father.. No wonder he was depressed all the time.. Not that it pardons Eric’s actions. Eric would have continued this behavior if not for his captivity.. But, Eric was “a child himself” when he acted out his anger on an innocent child, and deserves a chance to live free. Hopefully Eric has severed enough time to grow, and will find healing.. We all hope Eric’s jealousy of people who haven’t suffered as he did, won’t lead him back to making others suffer too..
I've always wanted an in depth look into that guy who beheaded a young guy on a greyhound bus in Canada. I think he's out now too. Never even got close to understanding motivation, state of of mind, illnesses.. Got out pretty fast i think. Just a quick dip into total vicious murderous insanity; all good now, just take the meds. Maybe there's not enough material to work with. I'd be very interested in your take if you see this Dr. Grande. Thanks for the content! A daily go to.
I can’t believe they let him out either and gave him a new identity. That case fascinated me and disgusted me in equal measure. The poor lad was asleep and was brutally murdered by a complete stranger for no reason and now people have no idea that he is living in their community under a new identity. He definitely was released too soon 🤷🏼
He allegedly had an unmedicated mental illness and won't murder anyone as long as he takes the proper meds...but no one is tasked with ensuring that he takes his meds as prescribed. Wherever he lives now the residents do not have to be informed that he is their new neighbor either. 😐 If you go back and search news stories from 2020 and 2021 a lot of murderers were released 'on account of covid'. 🤯
@Raven Balcom I know right! It embarrasses me as a Canadian..especially since I live in the city where Jasmine Richardson and Jeremy Steinke killed her family and she is out with a new identity. Makes me sick. 🤮
I agree with you all ! But can't stop thinking that Eric himself was a kid too ! He needed help with his rage when he hit the tree till he bled ! When he banged his head to the floor! I'm so sad for Derek family and Eric himself too 💔
I wonder if the bullies in these cases ever feel bad or responsible on hearing what they’ve caused. I was bullied and fantasised about hurting them. I never did, but still have huge rage for them.
Hi Dr. Grande. He could've fought back without murdering him but, the best solution would've been to never have any connection to the bully whatsoever. I've always been the type of person that would rather not have friends if it meant being bullied. See you on your next video, peace, Love, Janine Smiley🙂😀🙏😎😍🎸🎶🎵🆒️💯❕❗🍯🍪☕🥧🍩🐼🐾🦓🦄🍦🍨
@@ladymuck2151 i was not a bully. But if i was, i would try to justify it wasn't my fault. I would say to myself like he was already damaged and due to that was selected as a target.
Dr. Grande, as always I appreciate your Case Analysis. As a Forensic Psych MA student, several things concern me. Per the Crime Classification Manual, 3rd Ed, this is opportunistic rape; sadistic. I wonder if he presented with any of McDonald's triad. I recall that authorities were searching for an adult actor in this case, not a juvenile. His use of a stick to sodo---- this poor child clearly demonstrates how dangerous he is towards society at large. I expect that he will reoffend. I am looking forward to trying the meal delivery service. I am starting my internship & this will be perfect for that.
This child has ALWAYS made my hair stand on edge! My opinion is that he enjoyed what he did and if he thought he could get away with it, he'd do it again. Watch your 6 around this guy!
Can’t believe he was let out on parole. The whole NY justice system needs some reform. I was 5 at the time and not far from Savona NY at all. This incident really got my mom to teach my brother and I stranger danger.
@@CemeteryLarry The 90s were drastically different times. If you could read and comprehend a little you might get it. When did you learn stranger danger? When you were 3? 2? Most kids are 4 or 5 when taught this. Most youngsters can’t comprehend.
I couldn't believe it the day it came out about Eric's release. I was living in Hornell and pregnant with my son when the murder happened. I used to go with a guy way back in 1991 who was in an oldies band with Eric's grandfather. I still live in Steuben County. Over the years, I have met members of both families. Eric has family members who live on the same road as my brother (killed in an accident two years ago) and nephews. Even Eric's uncle told me that Eric should never be let out. Derrick's family has suffered enough. I'm glad the parole department didn't allow Eric to come back here. Imagine how Derrick's still devastated family would feel having to worry about running into him at the one Dollar General or mini mart in the tiny village. I'm glad he's downstate. I'm glad your parents used the very unfortunate situation to teach you about safety. ❤️ Take care.
Just trying to look on the distant, tiny bright side here but - at least they addressed his crime and put him in jail for the last 28 years. It could have been a lot worse, it could have been like the case of James Bulger, where the UK government decided to NOT incarcerate the killers AT ALL and then decided they need to be protected with new names and identities. Now that's criminal. The UK spent more money and manpower protecting those sadistic psychos than they do their own law-abiding citizens.
I am also reminded of the James Bulger when I see news about this one. What makes that already horrific case somehow even more awful is that while one of the killers, Robert Thompson has stayed out trouble since his release, the other monster, Jon Venables has been arrested several times, for child pornography. He was once again released not long after his initial re-arrest. It wasn't until his third arrest that he's finally being kept in prison, at least for a while. However he's still been allowed to keep his anonymity, while anyone in his country who publishes of him can actually be punished themselves with arrests, fines or imprisonment. The guy is a true menace and a danger to children, but the British government goes out of their way to protect him!
The criminal justice system is different in the UK, constantly comparing judicial systems to see whose is the toughest is a waste of time, different countries have different laws
I wondered if someone would bring this up. Those boys were much younger than him and considered below the age of criminal responsibility. The unhinged rage that followed their case (partly media driven) was, to me, a glaring indictment of our failure as a society. Today in the UK we have the industrial scale racially motivated rape of children all over the country which is being covered up by the authorities and media. Funnel your sense of injustice at this instead.
@@alihenderson5910 Yet as Dr. Grande pointed out, there was nothing healthy or normal about their behavior. They should have at least had some kind of therapy or psych eval. But instead just because they were kids, it's like they forgot they KIDNAPPED AND TORTURED A CHILD TO DEATH, and decided to cut them loose with a "Nah, it'll be fine".
This is such a sad case…..I hope Today as a ‘Society’ we are better able & more equipped to ‘Identify, Treat & Monitor’ those Children with ‘Emotional & Behavioral Problems’…. Thank You for your Analysis of this case….I hope & Pray for some kind of Peace to everyone Involved in this horrific case….
Lesson learned. This kid was mentally damaged by the abuse he suffered from society and bullies at school. So if you ever participated in any bullying at school or anywhere else, you may be indirectly responsible for some horrific crimes in the world as well, due to the domino effect that bullying has. Mostly what goes around comes around, but sometimes an innocent person becomes the victim. Treat all people with respect, you newer know what they been through.
Zero chance? Think about how much you change between 13 and 40. Think about how much your brain develops over that time. I’m not saying he’s definitely reformed-neither of us are in a position to know that. But you can change drastically in that amount of time and saying there’s zero chance is a little ridiculous
@@Hawkeyevodka34 - Yes, and hopefully he availed himself of any psychotherapy offered while in prison, especially if within the scope of his mental health issues. His critical thinking skills hadn't yet fully developed at 13 - usually it's by late-teens to mid-twenties. Being in a restrictive prison environment, with its own inmate power hierarchy and unexpected violence would be stressful no matter who one is or the crime committed.
I think there is a chance of rehabilitation considering the age at the time of the crime. I agree with Dr Grande; he must be surveiled sadly for the rest of his life.
The kids who bullied Eric share in the responsibility. Too bad they couldn’t be incarcerated also for some period of time. In this case, we see the deadly ripple effect of bullying.
You know who else shares in the responsibility? Derek's mom for letting a FOUR YEAR OLD walk to camp BY HIMSELF. He was FOUR. Why is no one talking about this?
@e.a.4926 thank you! No one else is saying this and this was my 1st thought! Even back in the 90s, kids were being kidnapped left and right, why would his mother allow this?!
Once again Dr Grande you really hit the nail on the head. You thoroughly cover all angles and aspects of a case, and your analyses are always fair yet frank. Thank you
Although Erik might not have met the legal definition of insanity, it is clear that he has a few screws loose. The State of NY should have realized at the time of conviction that Erik would someday be granted parole because of his age. They should have begun to prepare for that day right from the start with psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. This wasn't done and parole should not have been granted due to this. Today he is NYC where murder on the streets in road daylight is common. To think that with Erik' lack of treatment he is not a threat to the public is ludicrous.
I've watched a docu on this person and in it it said that Eric learnt (or was told) to finally say he was working on doing good, doing courses in prison to help others (or something like that) and thats how he finally got parole. Basically he worked the system by knowing the right things to say to get out. I dont think he should have been released, he seems emotionless, even as an adult, no remorse, no sadness, no nothing. Some say he was a child, he's done his time, let him be but there are many of cases out there of children and adults who "do their time" and go on to still kill or do bad things.
As long as we continue to IGNORE mental health there will be more victims. Society will gradually degrade into nonsense where being a CRIMINAL is glorified, while being a civil person is frowned upon. NVR MND we already there.
Same dead eyes in the photo that was taken when he committed the crime as that last photo when he was bald with the red beard. We have to deal with road rage, schoolyard shootings, robbery, assault etc.. but the idea of having to deal with a "child" who takes his rage or whatever his issues were out on a defenseless child.. too much. Absolute hatred in those eyes. Should not have been let out.
He was old enough to know what he was doing I have watched him getting interviewed looks a cold individual he took.the life of a beautiful innocent boy
Does anybody know how Eric's relationship with his parents changed after his confession and during the years? I'm always curious about how parents of very young murderers deal with the horror.
Honestly, my relationship with both my Mother and Father were strained after my incarceration. Yet over time we grew closer. Yet those steps were only able to happen when the elephant in the room was addressed of past abuse on my father's part of being mentally and emotionally abusive. I have a good relationship with my Mother today and my sister as well. We are daily growing to have a deeper and closer bond as a family. Yes it was strained at first, yet today we seek to address the pain of the past to embrace the peace of the present/future. God bless.
I can't believe they let him out. It is clear from nearly a dozen parole hearings that he cannot even come up with an 'appropriate' excuse because he doesn't feel ANY remorse.
At the end of the day, everyone was bullied in someway at school. I feel like when people bring up the bullying of killers like this, it provides a sense of false motive. People still think Nicholas Cruz was bullied, when he was actually the bully.
At the end of the day, you got some nerve comparing the routine teasing kids dispense and absorb, with the horrendous bullying that poor red haired adoptee got.
Why is dr grande my hero I only see him thru a screen I’m not even kidding. Watching his videos on narcissism and his analysis on different cases without the huge emphasis on how horrible it is has made it so much easier to understand. Everything that has happened to me, all I could think about was how bad it was and why would someone do that. I knew there was an explanation but no 1 sentence was good enough to get across years worth of no parenting. I knew it was simple but I was too scared and stressed as a child to make sense of it but I am thankful for Dr. Grande.
Great comment 👏. I've watched him since his role- playing. I like to go back and watch them. Super informative. You'd probably like his first book if you haven't read it. Cheers ✌️❤️🇨🇦
I was a group home manager of low functioning men , one of them had IMED . He broke my nose with that upward hit ( it could’ve killed me . ) This man was non verbal and had all of his teeth removed so he couldn’t bite . Eric being in Queens … upside , he could take out some of the criminals that are running rampant throughout NYC . My heart breaks for little Derek , he would be our youngest sons age . Extremely sad that little Derek’s life was cut short so brutally 😞
I am not a vigilante, so no taking out of the rampant criminals in Queens. That is the job of the Police. I am a simple man who seeks to live the rest of my life in relative silence and help those in my life from any insight I have gained or have. God bless
Intermittent explosive disorder is scary as hell! I cared for a consumer that raged on me. I lost a zip lock baggie of hair and was beat up as two other aids watched in fear. That disorder does not go away!
Seems lately parole boards have released some terrifying people, I wouldn’t do very good on such a board- but I also have no education either, as a regular person If you attacked an innocent person & took their life- I’d say no every time!!!
Most states, provinces, and cantons have a category under their Mental Health Act that you can keep a person in an institution indefinitely (for life, if the evaluation demands it). It should have nothing to do with the Parole Board, except the PB should RECOMMEND the State of New York seek just such an evaluation. NY must have a process like that (I don't know).
@@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki Wont do any good. Such institutions did release patients who said they will murder if released and what do you think they did once released, of course they murdered (dont know the rate of it).
Somebody is probably going to be looking for him, so he should be wishing he was back in prison. The actions he did seem incredibly similar to what a psychopath or sociopath would do.
I’m just going to call it like I see it. On some level I blame Eric’s parents for everything leading up to the murder and the murder itself. It was abundantly clear Eric had a problem and should have been seen by a pediatric neurologist years earlier, but NOTHING was done. He had learning difficulties, explosive anger, and behavioral disturbances; but NOTHING was done to address it
I am unsure, I know that how I was at 13 and how I am now at 38 are as different as night and day. I cannot say with any certainty that he will or won't reoffend but I think giving him a chance is as dangerous as the ones you don't hear about everyday. I guess the real difference is that we are aware of this one
Are we all just pretending that Dr. Grande isn’t a serial killer? He is just some innocent guy With an average wardrobe That lives in an average home Perfectly clean Nothing out of order, all straight lines, line up And his minimal deco has a slight air of - this is what I salvaged from my mothers home before I burnt it to the ground… And I know all this very intuitive stuff about all these terrible people Because I am just GIFTED. Ok Dexter, how many people you have buried in your crawlspace…
I shuddered when I found out Eric was being released. I believe it was a huge mistake and can only hope that he wants to stay out of prison enough to never murder again...but have serious doubts.
I think that the fact that over time he learnt the right words that would possibly convince the parole board to let him out is, without doubt, worrying in itself. It appears that he is still a dangerous man
Apparently Smith wrote an essay a couple of months before the murder, this is a part of the article I read about this fact: "The essay described by Dr. Stephen Herman, a Yale University psychiatrist hired by the defense, was written in May 1993 as a creative writing assignment. It told the story of a person named ″crucified Chris, the evil one″ making a clay figure that sprang to life, then was killed in a battle with its maker. ″I took the second swing and chopped his arm and half of the whole body. The next swing I killed him. I chopped his head off,″ the boy wrote. The essay ends, ″You’re next my friend. You’re ... ahhhh ... see you in hell my soon-to-be-dead friend.″ - " I also think that Smith is a sociopath and needs to be strictly monitored...
I remember this story on 20/20 and how creepy this kid was, I have to say I'm real happy I don't live by him, there's something so off about him and now he's an adult!
We can’t predict that, because we have many family annihilator that were the last people in the world their families and neighbors suspect it would commit a crime, never mind killed the whole family, so let’s calm down and give him a chance. The same fear of having someone out of the blue killing his entire family, going to the school to shoot kids, or to the mall, it is like Eric, but at least we know his past, his steps will be monitored, and the others anonymous killers around the country, we don’t know, right? He was a child, so let’s see it, danger is not everywhere, but precautions are a must.
Fascinating case. Hearing an analysis of the case is very thought-provoking, it is the first time I have probably heard of some of those disorders. A very disturbing case, almost like an urban legend. Thank you for the video.
Chilling episode! It’s impossible to understand how they could be satisfied with his answers. He’s clearly a sadistic psychopath and even as a child became excited when reliving what anyone else would describe as absolute horror and disgust. I hope he never gets a pet 😭
I remember first hearing this case as a young teen and just feeling the absolute fear in simply imagining what it would be like if he ever got out. The fact that he never took responsibility for that particular part of the assault would’ve been sufficient for me to keep him locked up if I was on the parole board. The glee he showed when reenacting the crime reminded me of how Ted Bundy sought to relive his own murders when he represented himself on trial. Both truly derived a morbid satisfaction in what they did. They should’ve never released Eric.
He willing tortured a small child because he wanted to. He has no remorse and he will likely kill again. My heart breaks for Derek's family, his mother will carry the guilt of one bad decision for the rest of her life and how she raised her other children was greatly affected by what happened.
Can we assume by what is known about Eric Smith that he had some severe emotional/behavioral problems that went untreated? It seems that volumes have been written about the problems, but not much is ever done. I am devastated for the murdered child and his family, but also compassion for Eric.
How does parole work? Do they test one's mental state? Is it like tv people who do not understand or have any background in telling one's mental state reading off a list? Is there a list to check like if he wants to move next to you? I think people have the right to know, They should not be able to hide based on the crime.
This is such a heartbreaking case. What went wrong with this boy that he was so sick at such a young age? I'm sickened about what he did but so sad for everyone in the case. Has he had any therapy in prison? Where any evaluations of his condition and mental state done?
The kid should never have gotten out. If he's so dangerous that he needs to be closely monitored then he should NOT be a normal part of a normal society.
The kid was being drugged with sertraline, a dangerous psychiatric substance linked to many psychotic outbreaks with tragic consequences.
Dr. Grande, being a part of the pharma and medical industries, conveniently forgot to mention it.
He wants to finally get laid; not likely to happen.
But it's not their children at risk so they don't care
Definitely not a kid anymore.
Agreed! I’ll be surprised if he isn’t a serial killer by now.
Hands 🙌 to Eric’s family for turning him in. Must not have been easy and too many times families cover up for their loved ones.
He was adopted. Sometimes that makes a difference with some people when they are not blood relatives.
It would make zero difference for me. But especially when a child is involved. That is the worst kind of murderer. Even some murderers won't hurt kids, have to be special kind of evil to hurt innocent kids.
They were probably hoping for a reason to get rid of him at that point. They had a little monster to deal with.
@@vrjanice2
What the hell?!! Him being adopted had nothing to do with it?? I was adopted and my parents never once made me feel like I wasn't blood related even though I obviously am not. They treated me as if I were their own!
And Eric did get special treatment, especially from his grandparents. He was not treated like a step ford child, he was spoiled brat! You obviously don't know this case or you would not have made such an ignorant comment.😑
@Erika damn I was adopted too and was not offended by his comment. Take a deep breath. Not everyone treats people with the same standards you do. Hence the state of the world.
Everybody gangster til Dr Grande starts speculating on a situation
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Just remember , he's not diagnosing anybody!!!
😂
word
👏 TRUUU
The parents of the murdered boy had to go to the parole hearings every two years and relive this nightmare. And as of February he is on parole.
There is something seriously wrong with a system where the parents of a darling 4 year old have to relive that anguish every two years. It is like living in purgatory. It makes it impossible for them to truly get on with their lives.
not many countries in the world incarcerate children, either... they use other methods to get them mental health help and reintegrate them in society before it's too late for them. Other kids in the world have killed... it's not great, but when there's overfocus on punishing and not on reform, then yeah, you'll get an individual who shouldn't be let back out into society.
I can’t imagine the pain they had and have to go through
Exactly
There's also something seriously wrong with a mother sending her FOUR YEAR OLD son to walk to camp by himself. It's unbelievable to me. He was fucking four. Essentially a TODDLER. That is neglectful at the absolute LEAST.
@@e.a.4926It was a tiny town where everyone knew everyone, in 1992, and it was one block with no streets to cross and a route he had taken dozens of times. And Derrick was about to turn 5. Don’t you dare blame his mother.
If he had just killed Derek by hitting or strangling him, I might be able to believe that this was a rage blackout of a desperate kid… but the sexual element is disturbing. I feel that shows another level of cruelty and an enjoyment in violence.
I think beating a young child to death with rocks for no reason whatever is disturbing enough even without the grisly sexual aspect. If anything at least sex makes it more normal. He could claim he was an oppressed homosexual or something.
@@animula6908 … eh I don’t know about dat
@@animula6908 okay. That's sick
@@animula6908 Please get checked out psychologically
[did you hear the part that said he was jumping around as if enjoying reliving the experience with officials?]
Feels like a bad move letting that guy out. Decades in prison, on parole for the rest of his life, he ruined his life. Up to 11 parole hearings, he just stopped saying how killing a young boy was some kind of valid decision. He probably still thinks it.
I wonder what his life was like now he’s out he’s staying w family, he kept poking around and they get caught., now he’s a man w the mentality still young and I wonder what he’s like even as dating man
It will be shocking if he never gets in trouble again.
@Bill Goodman I hope this comment ages well. Honestly.
@@megatherion2695 I agree with bill
The kid ,now man did 28 yrs
Wow. He was a kid. Wtf.
@@todeskult2818 All the most dangerous serial killers started at a young age. If he never got caught, he would have continued killing because he still thought it was not a big deal years later.
I honestly never thought he’d get out I was shocked that he did. Hope he doesn’t hurt anyone else. Eric knew what he was doing.
It's really awful. I was a 13 year old boy once, but never in my darkest moment did I imagine doing anything like this. And I was no angel either.
I hate to say it but I think he will offend again
He knew what he was doing, and somebody taught it to him. They should have arrested the whole family, until some explanations were given. I grew up with some pretty violent little kids, and I can tell you, it was always always traceable back to mom and dad.
@@BrisLS1 That’s not always true. It often is, but I think he’s an outlier.
He should have gotten the death penalty. He didn't and those soft on crime leftists up north let him out knowing he will hurt some poor child.
I'm sickened that he was released. The parents of the child he TORTURED are probably beyond sickened! Wonder how long until he does it again??! A "normal" person doesn't do what he did to that little child.
Offer to take him out if you really care
🤔 but, what is 'normal'? That's quite a subjective thought that is quite debatable.. 😬
He's definitely going to MURDER again but he looks like an idiot so he will only get 1-2 more murders.
They let those two British boys out of jail when they turned 18
Some times the left trys to make it out that bullying made this behavior. Isnt it more likely this kid was born fucked up and thevother kids could sents it and thats why he was bullied? Bulling is normal behavior to exclude or to shame weirdos like this guy to run them off. Same with the parklen kid they bullied him calls they all knew he was a weirdo killer in the making. One look at this kid with his crazy red hair and I could tell he needs to be on a no gun by list and closely observed by the FBI.
With these young killers, I always think, if he was capable of murder at this young of an age, what would he be capable of as an adult.
Anyone capable of hurting a child like this should never be part of the general public.
Period. All they learn in prison is how to not get caught when they do it again.
you know kids hurt other kids, sometimes they just throw a punch, sometimes they bite and other times they stab. So almost every kid is capable hurting another child. Of course murder is a different story.
@@STCatchMeTRACjRo That is why he said "like this"
Exactly 💯, and this time if he kills someone, he'll be smart enough not to turn himself in
@@STCatchMeTRACjRothat's different than plotting and luring an innocent unassuming child much younger than him for the intent to kill him.
You obviously have never been in prison. I learned the opposite of what you are saying here. Shows how educated you are in matters like this. God bless
Rest In Peace, Derek. I can't imagine the grief of his mother. 💔
Eric should never have gotten out.
He was 13 years old when he committed the crime and did his time, move on and if he messes up again he’ll be back in the slammer.
Yea move on, 13 year olds kill little kids all the time. Nothing to see here. 😒
The nom was ridiculed for letting her son walk alone. Being blamed for the murder must have been unbearable.
@@DMalltheway He's still a risk to society. People like you don't care because you don't have to deal with people like him. They don't release his type in your fancy gated community.
@@DMalltheway at the cost of another life?
His mother was deadset against Eric being released. She didn't believe a minute of it!
Didn't Derrick's (the victim) mother pass away at some point? Or am I thinking of a different murder case involving a young child?
Imagine how evil somebody should be so that the mother is against their release
@@christiandenault7606 uh not derrick's mother, eric's own mother was against his release....
@@icewallowkum1566 Right. It was correct the first time. Some people don't comprehend.
@@christiandenault7606 Stop getting mad because you didn't comprehend the comment. No one was rude to you. The comment was clearly referring to Eric's mother. What does this man's race have to do with him correcting you, you must be embarrassed you were corrected by a Black man. If he didnt have a profile pic you would never said that. But you saw that and ran with it. Typical.
I feel like it's inevitable Eric will inflict harm on someone or ,more likely, multiple people during his time out of prison. Let's just hope it doesn't end up in another murder.
It's like he refused to show remorse for years and now all of a sudden he's remorseful 🤔 Eric is engaged, so maybe he tried to make sure to get out for his fiance
Seems dicey to me. Hope it doesn't end like I think it might.
Police may or may not help you when you need it most.
Protect yourself.
As soon as he discovers the deep web, he will be committing crimes.
Yep just like those 2 kids in the UK that killed a little kid. They were released received new identities and went on to commit horrible crimes against children.
In Canada we have an alternative for cases like this. If someone is deemed to be dangerous forever, they can be incarcerated for life as a Dangerous Offender. It is seldom used, but sometimes necessary for the protection of the public.
I think the problem is in the definition. Mental health professionals really don't have a very good track record in predicting dangerousness.
They should have done that with Vince Li. I guess he's out, too.
Okay never heard of it. Probably because in Canada you can kill anyone and be out free in 5 years or less. Canada is a fucking joke when it comes to punishing murderers.
Didn't happen with Jasmine Richardson.
Canadian justice system is a joke.
Thats an incredibly gruesome murder for an 11 yr old to commit 😮
I was 17 when this horrible crime happened and I assumed he'd never see the light of day again. He's so phony in his "apologies" I don't know why the parole board is fooled by his empty words.
Pedos have rights now. They can get married and everything
He had learnt from his few parole failures to say & act out his remorsefulness better. They let him out because he must have gave an Oscar-worthy performance then.
@@rebeccaliew2247 the transcript is available on youtube. There is nothing overly insightful or convincing about what he said. I did not gain any confidence he wont reoffend from his words.
Yeah, but who did the crime?
@@Caper1144 I doubt his early teenage, sadistic & depression-addled brains that time was developed enough to realise that you don't take revenge on your bullies by killing people. And then to defend himself, his socially-inept self took many parole interviews to figure that him saying his sadistic truth upfront will deny him freedom. Over the years, he 'honed his acting craft' & figured the right words to get him out of jail.
See it this way - if a 'common' disorders like BPD, ADHD or even depression require so much effort, years of therapy and work on individuals that are usually highly intelligent and sane, imagine psychopaths that are clueless, without empathy, sexually deranged with all kinds of twisted sadistic features. There is no hope for them, ever. Once diagnosed and caught, should be jailed for life, at the very least. No parole, no mercy.
caught with a crime or caught with that mentality but did not committed any crimes yet?
Who said he was a psychopath?
Psychopathy is not necessary to commit a murder like this. All that was necessary was a strong aggressive impulse, which many people already have. Being 13 limited his conscience about as much as psychopathy ever could. Only someone with a very limited conscience believes it is fully formed by that age.
Releasing him at middle age and keeping him on parole was about as good a decision as they could make. He's well past the age where most aggression takes place, so the remaining risk is that he'll double-down on the only identity he has, which is "murderer". So, that's where supervision comes into play.
@@somexp12 Good, well reasoned argument - thanks!
@@somexp12 I think one could safely assume he was a psychopath by the crimes he committed and his lack of ability to read the room 11 times when his own life depended on it.
@@seersha2937 Most sadistic murderers are not psychopaths. And psychopaths are plenty capable of "reading the room." They're actually quite personable scum bags. What makes them dangerous is not a lack of empathy so much as it is a problem with rules and authority.
On the contrary, murderers are more often the type to attribute moral qualities to empathy. People such as yourself, likely. That's how they justify it. "If I'm not feeling it, it must not be serious." And no one feels everything, no matter how serious. This makes empathy junkies among the most callous characters you'll ever meet. Their egos will not allow them to acknowledge issues they do not empathize with.
Seeing the look in his eyes and hearing him talk after he was released, gave me the creeps. Regardless of age and meantal status, he is sick and dangerous. Releasing him at all is irresponsible, regardless of the the law normally does.
Gingers = no soul
I agree
He will offend again
I am afraid and bet he does .
I’m afraid he’s killed again and we don’t know about it.
It funny. I just watched one where a six year old shot his teacher and all the bleeding hearts think it was just a mishap.
Because children are not responsible for their actions.
@@kamelaparis7489 he went to psychologist and psychiatrist programs during prison time and has a family that can support him so let think he won't mess with anybody again
This case reminds me so much of the horrible murder of little James Bulger. The difference here is that the killer of little Derrick Robbie is well known and don't get to change his name and have protected identity (how sick is that?). I don't think this man should be released out in the community, perhaps he may be sent to a facility to get treatment for his mental health issues, but after spending all his life in prison with other criminals, I don't see any way for him to not be a threat for others, specially young children. Hopefully he returns to prison soon for a minor violation of his parole rules.
A word on Factor. These meals were a Godsend for us to send to our 94 year old father still living alone 1500 miles away. He had many delicious choices and the variety was amazing. It really changed his life bc it came right to his door, and he easily figured out the heating instructions. He was also able to host a friend or two with the meals. They are tasty and the presentation is nice.
But does he have the bunny salt and pepper shakers? 😊
why are u living 1500 miles away from your father? that means he hardly ever sees you! you shd b caring for him and visiting him every sunday or something.
Lauren, how old are you? My dad doesn’t want to move. We have asked him to live with us many times. I can’t put a gun to his head and force him to move across the country. We visit often and pay someone to help him. He grudgingly lets that person help. You have to respect your parents’ wishes. We visit very often but can’t move there at this time.
@@melindadurchholz3738 you are a PEACH! and old folks can b stubborn eh!! my close friend has an 89 yr old father who also refuses to move. until they have an emergency and find themselves on the floor for many hours, unable to move, etc.
@@Lauren-vd4qeWe did talk him into assisted living but they kicked him out! We found one that liked older seniors and they liked him but he thought the other people his age were too old! We almost had him talked into moving in with us but then he had a medical thing and couldn’t travel safely.
Evening Dr. Grande, Enjoying your phenomenal work ethic. Thank you.
Oh yeah I'm sure he's become a well adjusted, conscientious man after decades in our penal system. smfh
Well our penal system is not for reformation. It could be however right now it is not. People are more in favor of punishment rather than reformation. The likely hood of him being institutionalized and going back in is very high. It is a shame. Getting a job is going to be very hard. Any job application he applies for he will have to tell them he is a convicted felon. This will make getting a job difficult if not impossible. He can still make it though. Becoming a barber, getting his CDL will make it possible for him to earn a living. He is really going to need his family to make it though.
@@jharris3267 Ha! That family of his? Who let him be bullied for years and years, then failed to watch his back once he got into REAL trouble? Then turned him in to the authorities? THAT family? He'd be better off with something like the "Fortune Society".
Our penal system CAN reform people if they WANT to accept the help and change their thinking. Problem is that most criminals like being criminals and have no interests in changing their ways. They come from dysfunctional families and grow up in high crime neighborhoods, filled with social pathologies. Some make it, some don't.
If you can't normalize a child's personality by age 8, they're done. The answer is to focus on children's development early on. Also we got to back to discouraging unfit people from breeding. Pay cash to them for getting vasectomies and tubes tied.
Oh, Eric Smith. This kid was an absolute sadistic monster, this was one story that churned my stomach when I learned about it and what he did to that poor boy Derrick. I didn’t know he was released, I don’t think he should’ve been. He became worse than the bullies he hated, some animals should be kept in their pens.
I guess we'll find out. I tend to agree with you.
The portion of the brain that helps humans understand morality is something that isn't fully developed until the age we refer to as "adulthood." Good luck
Yet adults don't spend half the time he did
@@todeskult2818 13- year -olds most certainly do have "personalities." They have not yet fully formed a moral code, but even that they are not completely devoid of.
The reason that he even came up for parole is that it is unconstitutional for juveniles to be sentenced to life in prison without parole. This is due to the brain and reasoning not being fully mature.
I was a new mom to a toddler and this story on the news was terrifying. It gives me chills to hear details and think about it again.
It really really affected my Mom as well she was so so so terrified that something like this would happen to one of us 😢
Eric's mother was on Tridione, a medicine for epilepsy that was known to cause the very physical and emotional side effects that he experienced. Years ago I saw a video of Eric raging as a child--you could tell it was not a lack of discipline
--there was something wrong. My heart went out to that family. I don't know what is right here.
Might want to check yourself. Watching a video absolutely does not give you the authority to determine bad parenting or not.
@@tb-dv1zc I don't understand your comment. I never said or inferred Mother was a bad parent.
@@tb-dv1zc I think you have misunderstood CelticBearWoman's comment. She did not imply bad parenting at all, quite the opposite. The medication that Eric's mother had to take for epilepsy could have had some effects in Eric's development if it were taken during her pregnancy. She said based on the video she saw that Eric's outbursts were not through a lack of discipline. Not that he was the product of bad parenting. That kid just had something seriously wrong with him. In every photo there's just something missing from his eyes.
Regardless of the CAUSE, that guy is dangerous. I'd gladly donate to keep him behind bars. Letting him out with all he LEARNED in jail is scary.
There’s no way the authorities can watch him closely enough to prevent another probable murder. 😣
You're using absolute, all-or-nothing thinking i.e. "no way," and a negative slant, i.e. "another probable murder" when you have very little insight into the man's current mental health or what he's thinking. You watched a 15-minute video assessment by Dr Grande, and it seems you know better than the persons in position to have made those decisions.
Someone better off him first..
It is possible for him to be a better human, I hope he is better, since he was a child when the crime occurred. Let’s keep the finger cross, not sure who would give him a job?
@@wholeshebang1 he deserves a second chance only because he was a child, but I wouldn’t stay alone with him anywhere. Hope he gets a lot psychological help, it is possible he didn’t asked to be born with some kind of problem, and his parents probably didn’t either.
@@laurenmay2098 You only have that opinion because he probably doesnt live near you. If he did you'd nope the fuck outta there. He's a write-off. Let's not pretend otherwise. You have a great personality to be his next victim lols.
This has echoes of the Bulger case in England.
I will resist typing how that horror-story still unfolds.
In my opinion, guaranteeing the safety of us law-abiding citizens and our children must remain a greater concern than any thoughts for a murderers liberty.
Except the us government isn’t protecting him by punishing people trying to share his identity for the safety of others
Very similar to the JB case, the attack itself and what's happened to the attackers afterwards.
That case is frightening.
I thought about that case too. At least one of them re-offended with possession and distribution of CP no less. Theses two pieces of human garbage shouldn't had the chance to see the light again. Kids or not. But here we are, with the 2 of them living their lives free, a thing that poor kid who was sadically killed never had the chance to do.
England doesn't put a high value on human life.
Derrick Robie was a beautiful little boy who was well liked in his community. I always felt that Eric Smith murdered Derrick because he was everything Eric wasn't. I hope that Eric will not harm anyone else, but personally I would have never released him. As always Dr. Grande I enjoyed your analysis and the conversation in the comments section
Redhead and gay. That's equal to a redhead female. That the motive. I've dated one.
@@howiegruwitz3173 you dated a redheaded gay guy? Weird
He admitted that was exactly why he targeted him. Because he was a cute little boy.
Absolutely disgusting.
Well said, I remember seeing his little face on tv. His poor mother. Great observation.
@@howiegruwitz3173 You're math is off, but hilarious. Gay man doesn't equal a woman. 🤣🤣 Incel alert. Lol
That poor mother of Derrick. I don’t know how she ever learned to live with this. Wasn’t Eric’s home life also troublesome? I wonder if, as a child, Eric might also have been sexually abused?
My two oldest sons were red headed snd had freckles. My oldest had a tough time in school until about 5th grade when he started to finally make friends. He got bullied quite a bit, as did my youngest son but they never hurt anyone. I think having a stable, loving home makes a difference for kids like this. Kids need a soft place to land and that place should be home. If a kid like Eric doesn’t have that, I can see how the rage can build. It’s no excuse, of course, but it is a contributing factor, I believe.
some kids are just evil - the end.
His sister was sexually molested, and she said he probably was too, even if he didn't admit it.
Many people have horrible things happen to them. That he was bullied is very sad, but does not alter the risk he poses to others, or excuses the torture inflicted on an innocent victim.
That’s such BS! I was bullied in middle school and I would never think of doing something like that! I would never hurt a little kid. I can’t believe they let him out!
Everybody's breaking point is different. True, it's not an excuse but it's actually a very logical explanation.
Eric was likely bullied, beaten, tortured and terrorized MERCILESSLY, to an extreme monster-creating degree that almost no one could've survived.
@@brucejohnson9696 Trust me I thought of doing some stuff but I’m just saying I could never hurt a little kid or any kid for that matter
I agree
@@brucejohnson9696 the reason everybody's breaking point is different is because some people choose to be scumbags and some people don't
Same here.
I am a child of the 80s, this is one of the first cases that broke my heart when I tried to understand the evil in the world growing up. Still breaks my heart to hear it today. Eric rot in hell, not freed!
I remember this case like it was yesterday. It happened like an hour from me and was on the news non-stop.
Headed to Heaven thanks to Jesus. I won't rot in Hell because Jesus died in my place. Same for you....John 3:16-17. God Bless and I will pray you find Jesus someday.
I've learned so much about human behavior from Dr Grande, the Big Doc.
Who's gonna speculate on Tarde's crimes once the repair man finds the hidden door?
I've learned how to fart the theme song from "The Muppet Show"
I was bullied relentlessly as a kid. I had my first friend when i was in 6th grade (11 yro). I'm an INFP and mostly internalized it. Then my brother got me into martial arts and after 3 self-defense skirmishes at the start of 7th grade, I never had systemic problems after that.
Schools not taking bullying seriously is a big part of many problems from victim’s underachievement to depression to suicide and to those few victims who become more psychopathic. And the bullies themselves usually become more cruel if they face little to no consequences.
My youngest child was bullied relentlessly at school because her brother had schizophrenia. " Your brother's a loony". I took her out ( far to late in retrospect )to homeschool after years of trying to engage with the school to address the issues she was suffering and being met with a blank wall. She internalised her distress which led to self harm. As a woman in her 20's now she still struggles with self esteem issues. We live in the UK and despite a lot of lip service being spouted, the damaging effects of bullying are not recognised. " Just ignore them" is not good enough. I feel for both sets of parents. Devasting.
*devastating
I can't believe they let this guy out of prison. He's a menace to society. He hasn't a conscience and he's sadistic. Parents should be terrified in Queens knowing he's on the loose. I have a bad feeling about this. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think we've heard the last of him. He didn't deserve to be released after what he did to that little boy, and I don't have confidence in his rehabilitation.
Bra get of your feelings....it's cringe af
Are you literally crying over a 2 degree murderer being released???
SERIOUSLY.????
@@Vvvxxloxe I mean, technically feeling cringe is also 'being in your feelings' isn't it lmao
Agree
@@Vvvxxloxe it’s cringe asf to call a random comment cringe…. get out your feelings bra
Evil like him don’t rehabilitate.
I wonder who's fault is it if the boy/girl becomes a bully in school.
I remember my mom always telling me to look out for my younger brother and never mistreat anyone or use bad words to insult other kids.
Absolutely never making fun of anyone for any reason.
Sleepover and gossiping about other kids is absolutely prohibited.
We never talked back to teachers or any other adult for that matter.
I vividly remember us being very very busy studying, or PE in school, or playing outside with ropes and hide and seek, and many other games involving so much running outside in our yard.
Fault is with the parents My kids were taught to never bully anyone and they never did To respect others and to show compassion for all life No doubt his parents were bully's themselves
That sounds nice but not always true. Even if you were taught like that other kids are not necessary.
@@lisamac8503 Sounds as if you think parents have control over their kids. I regret to inform you this is not true. A parent can try to influence, can try to use religion to make the kid decent, can threaten, punish (doesn't work, by my observation), but the fact is, you can't MAKE anybody do anything. One thing we do know, parents must provide physical, psychological, and emotional support, but even that's not always enough. Certainly, parents can bully their kids, and that might produce bullies, but this is a very complicated, important problem, and we probably don't have the tools, yet, to solve it. Which doesn't mean we shouldn't try.
Same here, I wasn't bullied but my parents always taught me not to make fun of kids less fortunate or different. It goes back to the parents.
That guy scares me. I sure hope he is sane now, but his release is scary!
Protect yourself, dangerous world and police may or may not do anything to help you when you need it most.
I hope his finally understands what he did to that sweet little boy and kills himself, or that his own mother does it, how can she live with herself knowing she gave birth to that monster. What truly evil people, they should right this wrong and take themselves out.
Nah he's an unlikely killer according to Tarde
"Sanity" can be on a sliding scale throughout our lives in different ways.
Was he ever insane? I very much doubt he fell under the definition of insanity at any point.
I remember when this happened… this and the boys that killed that little boy in England.. I remember both these cases from my youth for some reason..
me, too. They left a powerful impact.
Something that was mentioned by Eric’s older sister at the time, I believe is the most important missing puzzle piece in this case.. The “dad” of Eric, possibly step dad, was sexually abusing his kids, according to his sister, he abuse not only her, but Eric as well.. So, not only bullied by his peers but, sexually humiliated by his father.. No wonder he was depressed all the time.. Not that it pardons Eric’s actions. Eric would have continued this behavior if not for his captivity.. But, Eric was “a child himself” when he acted out his anger on an innocent child, and deserves a chance to live free. Hopefully Eric has severed enough time to grow, and will find healing.. We all hope Eric’s jealousy of people who haven’t suffered as he did, won’t lead him back to making others suffer too..
He won't be out along. He won't be able to control his sadism and rage.
I've always wanted an in depth look into that guy who beheaded a young guy on a greyhound bus in Canada. I think he's out now too. Never even got close to understanding motivation, state of of mind, illnesses..
Got out pretty fast i think. Just a quick dip into total vicious murderous insanity; all good now, just take the meds.
Maybe there's not enough material to work with. I'd be very interested in your take if you see this Dr. Grande.
Thanks for the content! A daily go to.
What’s the name of the guy? Dr. Grande does look through the comments and might just do an expose on this man.
@Raven Balcom And race apparently
I can’t believe they let him out either and gave him a new identity. That case fascinated me and disgusted me in equal measure. The poor lad was asleep and was brutally murdered by a complete stranger for no reason and now people have no idea that he is living in their community under a new identity. He definitely was released too soon 🤷🏼
He allegedly had an unmedicated mental illness and won't murder anyone as long as he takes the proper meds...but no one is tasked with ensuring that he takes his meds as prescribed. Wherever he lives now the residents do not have to be informed that he is their new neighbor either. 😐 If you go back and search news stories from 2020 and 2021 a lot of murderers were released 'on account of covid'. 🤯
@Raven Balcom I know right! It embarrasses me as a Canadian..especially since I live in the city where Jasmine Richardson and Jeremy Steinke killed her family and she is out with a new identity. Makes me sick. 🤮
You're right. Releasing him or not releasing him both seem problematic. Maybe the best solution is to send him to Castle Black to defend the wall.
I agree with you all ! But can't stop thinking that Eric himself was a kid too ! He needed help with his rage when he hit the tree till he bled ! When he banged his head to the floor! I'm so sad for Derek family and Eric himself too 💔
I wonder if the bullies in these cases ever feel bad or responsible on hearing what they’ve caused. I was bullied and fantasised about hurting them. I never did, but still have huge rage for them.
Hi Dr. Grande. He could've fought back without murdering him but, the best solution would've been to never have any connection to the bully whatsoever. I've always been the type of person that would rather not have friends if it meant being bullied. See you on your next video, peace, Love, Janine Smiley🙂😀🙏😎😍🎸🎶🎵🆒️💯❕❗🍯🍪☕🥧🍩🐼🐾🦓🦄🍦🍨
He was 13 and murdered a 4 year-old. The 4 year-old did not bully him. It was other kids who did that.
I seriously doubt it. Because when your beating someone with a rock, choking a little boy and making sure he was dead.
@@STCatchMeTRACjRo are you excusing the fact that you are/were a school yard bully!?
@@ladymuck2151 i was not a bully. But if i was, i would try to justify it wasn't my fault. I would say to myself like he was already damaged and due to that was selected as a target.
Great video Dr Grande. Your work ethic is unparalleled!!
Thank you for weighing in on this case...great job as usual.
Dr. Grande, as always I appreciate your Case Analysis. As a Forensic Psych MA student, several things concern me. Per the Crime Classification Manual, 3rd Ed, this is opportunistic rape; sadistic. I wonder if he presented with any of McDonald's triad. I recall that authorities were searching for an adult actor in this case, not a juvenile. His use of a stick to sodo---- this poor child clearly demonstrates how dangerous he is towards society at large. I expect that he will reoffend. I am looking forward to trying the meal delivery service. I am starting my internship & this will be perfect for that.
This child has ALWAYS made my hair stand on edge! My opinion is that he enjoyed what he did and if he thought he could get away with it, he'd do it again. Watch your 6 around this guy!
@17:07 “Eric never really took responsibility for his crime… “ and yet they let him out🤦🏻♀️
Dr Grande. I love going for long walks and listening to your videos. Thanks 👍
Can’t believe he was let out on parole. The whole NY justice system needs some reform. I was 5 at the time and not far from Savona NY at all. This incident really got my mom to teach my brother and I stranger danger.
It took a savage murder by a child for your mom to tell you to stay away from strangers, lol? Plenty of states don’t have JLWOP. Not just NY.
Most crimes are committed by people you know. Maybe your mother would still be alive if she understood that.
@@CemeteryLarry The 90s were drastically different times. If you could read and comprehend a little you might get it. When did you learn stranger danger? When you were 3? 2? Most kids are 4 or
5 when taught this. Most youngsters can’t comprehend.
Exactly what are the qualifications to sit on a parole board? Common sense isn’t one that much I know.
I couldn't believe it the day it came out about Eric's release.
I was living in Hornell and pregnant with my son when the murder happened. I used to go with a guy way back in 1991 who was in an oldies band with Eric's grandfather. I still live in Steuben County.
Over the years, I have met members of both families. Eric has family members who live on the same road as my brother (killed in an accident two years ago) and nephews. Even Eric's uncle told me that Eric should never be let out.
Derrick's family has suffered enough. I'm glad the parole department didn't allow Eric to come back here. Imagine how Derrick's still devastated family would feel having to worry about running into him at the one Dollar General or mini mart in the tiny village. I'm glad he's downstate.
I'm glad your parents used the very unfortunate situation to teach you about safety. ❤️ Take care.
Just trying to look on the distant, tiny bright side here but - at least they addressed his crime and put him in jail for the last 28 years. It could have been a lot worse, it could have been like the case of James Bulger, where the UK government decided to NOT incarcerate the killers AT ALL and then decided they need to be protected with new names and identities. Now that's criminal. The UK spent more money and manpower protecting those sadistic psychos than they do their own law-abiding citizens.
I am also reminded of the James Bulger when I see news about this one. What makes that already horrific case somehow even more awful is that while one of the killers, Robert Thompson has stayed out trouble since his release, the other monster, Jon Venables has been arrested several times, for child pornography. He was once again released not long after his initial re-arrest. It wasn't until his third arrest that he's finally being kept in prison, at least for a while. However he's still been allowed to keep his anonymity, while anyone in his country who publishes of him can actually be punished themselves with arrests, fines or imprisonment. The guy is a true menace and a danger to children, but the British government goes out of their way to protect him!
The criminal justice system is different in the UK, constantly comparing judicial systems to see whose is the toughest is a waste of time, different countries have different laws
@@callumalston5755 What are you saying, that it's OK for murderers to get away just because they're minors? GTFO.
I wondered if someone would bring this up. Those boys were much younger than him and considered below the age of criminal responsibility. The unhinged rage that followed their case (partly media driven) was, to me, a glaring indictment of our failure as a society. Today in the UK we have the industrial scale racially motivated rape of children all over the country which is being covered up by the authorities and media. Funnel your sense of injustice at this instead.
@@alihenderson5910 Yet as Dr. Grande pointed out, there was nothing healthy or normal about their behavior. They should have at least had some kind of therapy or psych eval. But instead just because they were kids, it's like they forgot they KIDNAPPED AND TORTURED A CHILD TO DEATH, and decided to cut them loose with a "Nah, it'll be fine".
This is such a sad case…..I hope Today as a ‘Society’ we are better able & more equipped to ‘Identify, Treat & Monitor’ those Children with ‘Emotional & Behavioral Problems’….
Thank You for your Analysis of this case….I hope & Pray for some kind of Peace to everyone Involved in this horrific case….
Lesson learned. This kid was mentally damaged by the abuse he suffered from society and bullies at school. So if you ever participated in any bullying at school or anywhere else, you may be indirectly responsible for some horrific crimes in the world as well, due to the domino effect that bullying has. Mostly what goes around comes around, but sometimes an innocent person becomes the victim. Treat all people with respect, you newer know what they been through.
Ohhh feel so bad for Derrick Robie's mom, dad and family. My heart goes out to them. They must've been devastated. I cannot bear that horror
Zero chance this guy has reformed himself. Sad story. Great analysis
I can’t imagine that he felt that he needed reforming.
And you know this how?
Zero chance? Think about how much you change between 13 and 40. Think about how much your brain develops over that time. I’m not saying he’s definitely reformed-neither of us are in a position to know that. But you can change drastically in that amount of time and saying there’s zero chance is a little ridiculous
@@Hawkeyevodka34 - Yes, and hopefully he availed himself of any psychotherapy offered while in prison, especially if within the scope of his mental health issues. His critical thinking skills hadn't yet fully developed at 13 - usually it's by late-teens to mid-twenties. Being in a restrictive prison environment, with its own inmate power hierarchy and unexpected violence would be stressful no matter who one is or the crime committed.
I think there is a chance of rehabilitation considering the age at the time of the crime. I agree with Dr Grande; he must be surveiled sadly for the rest of his life.
Bless that little boy 😔..
Heartbreaking 😢
The kids who bullied Eric share in the responsibility. Too bad they couldn’t be incarcerated also for some period of time. In this case, we see the deadly ripple effect of bullying.
They didn't murder a 4 year old, so no they don't
Derrrrrrrŕr
You know who else shares in the responsibility? Derek's mom for letting a FOUR YEAR OLD walk to camp BY HIMSELF. He was FOUR. Why is no one talking about this?
@e.a.4926 thank you! No one else is saying this and this was my 1st thought! Even back in the 90s, kids were being kidnapped left and right, why would his mother allow this?!
They should've had to sit through the trial.
Gosh... Derek was born the same day as I was!! He had his future ahead of him!!! Poor poor boy,, and props to Erik's family for turning him in!!
Once again Dr Grande you really hit the nail on the head. You thoroughly cover all angles and aspects of a case, and your analyses are always fair yet frank. Thank you
I saw this case on TV as a young boy myself. It's one of my earliest memories of learning malice existed in this world
Although Erik might not have met the legal definition of insanity, it is clear that he has a few screws loose. The State of NY should have realized at the time of conviction that Erik would someday be granted parole because of his age. They should have begun to prepare for that day right from the start with psychiatric diagnosis and treatment. This wasn't done and parole should not have been granted due to this. Today he is NYC where murder on the streets in road daylight is common. To think that with Erik' lack of treatment he is not a threat to the public is ludicrous.
Dr. Grande, We appreciate your analysis of perplexing human behavior. HOWEVER, please keep your situational awareness
I've watched a docu on this person and in it it said that Eric learnt (or was told) to finally say he was working on doing good, doing courses in prison to help others (or something like that) and thats how he finally got parole. Basically he worked the system by knowing the right things to say to get out. I dont think he should have been released, he seems emotionless, even as an adult, no remorse, no sadness, no nothing. Some say he was a child, he's done his time, let him be but there are many of cases out there of children and adults who "do their time" and go on to still kill or do bad things.
Glad you covered this case, Doc. Thanks!
As long as we continue to IGNORE mental health there will be more victims. Society will gradually degrade into nonsense where being a CRIMINAL is glorified, while being a civil person is frowned upon. NVR MND we already there.
Same dead eyes in the photo that was taken when he committed the crime as that last photo when he was bald with the red beard.
We have to deal with road rage, schoolyard shootings, robbery, assault etc.. but the idea of having to deal with a "child" who takes his rage or whatever his issues were out on a defenseless child.. too much.
Absolute hatred in those eyes. Should not have been let out.
Agreed. I noticed the empty, soulless eyes are common in these violent murderers' photos.
He was old enough to know what he was doing I have watched him getting interviewed looks a cold individual he took.the life of a beautiful innocent boy
I think he should have been let out...
... IN PIECES.
Does anybody know how Eric's relationship with his parents changed after his confession and during the years? I'm always curious about how parents of very young murderers deal with the horror.
I thought the dad or stepdad beat the snot out of him all the time?
Honestly, my relationship with both my Mother and Father were strained after my incarceration. Yet over time we grew closer. Yet those steps were only able to happen when the elephant in the room was addressed of past abuse on my father's part of being mentally and emotionally abusive. I have a good relationship with my Mother today and my sister as well. We are daily growing to have a deeper and closer bond as a family. Yes it was strained at first, yet today we seek to address the pain of the past to embrace the peace of the present/future. God bless.
I can't believe they let him out. It is clear from nearly a dozen parole hearings that he cannot even come up with an 'appropriate' excuse because he doesn't feel ANY remorse.
At the end of the day, everyone was bullied in someway at school. I feel like when people bring up the bullying of killers like this, it provides a sense of false motive. People still think Nicholas Cruz was bullied, when he was actually the bully.
At the end of the day, you got some nerve comparing the routine teasing kids dispense and absorb, with the horrendous bullying that poor red haired adoptee got.
Ok I need those bunny salt and pepper shakers in my life.
Great to see you showing back up in my feed, Dr. Grande. This story is terrifying and extremely sad.
Why is dr grande my hero I only see him thru a screen
I’m not even kidding. Watching his videos on narcissism and his analysis on different cases without the huge emphasis on how horrible it is has made it so much easier to understand. Everything that has happened to me, all I could think about was how bad it was and why would someone do that. I knew there was an explanation but no 1 sentence was good enough to get across years worth of no parenting. I knew it was simple but I was too scared and stressed as a child to make sense of it but I am thankful for Dr. Grande.
Great comment 👏. I've watched him since his role- playing. I like to go back and watch them. Super informative. You'd probably like his first book if you haven't read it. Cheers ✌️❤️🇨🇦
I was a group home manager of low functioning men , one of them had IMED . He broke my nose with that upward hit ( it could’ve killed me . ) This man was non verbal and had all of his teeth removed so he couldn’t bite . Eric being in Queens … upside , he could take out some of the criminals that are running rampant throughout NYC . My heart breaks for little Derek , he would be our youngest sons age . Extremely sad that little Derek’s life was cut short so brutally 😞
I am not a vigilante, so no taking out of the rampant criminals in Queens. That is the job of the Police. I am a simple man who seeks to live the rest of my life in relative silence and help those in my life from any insight I have gained or have. God bless
Intermittent explosive disorder is scary as hell! I cared for a consumer that raged on me. I lost a zip lock baggie of hair and was beat up as two other aids watched in fear. That disorder does not go away!
So you admit, you lost the hair.
I'm just saying, sometimes a person deserve a beating. This time, that person was you.
Did the beating turn you on a bit?
@@benjamindover4337 Why do you say he deserved it?
I’m just curious as to why there was a zip lock baggie of hair involved in the first place
Seems lately parole boards have released some terrifying people, I wouldn’t do very good on such a board- but I also have no education either, as a regular person If you attacked an innocent person & took their life- I’d say no every time!!!
Most states, provinces, and cantons have a category under their Mental Health Act that you can keep a person in an institution indefinitely (for life, if the evaluation demands it). It should have nothing to do with the Parole Board, except the PB should RECOMMEND the State of New York seek just such an evaluation. NY must have a process like that (I don't know).
@@Dwightstjohn-fo8ki Wont do any good. Such institutions did release patients who said they will murder if released and what do you think they did once released, of course they murdered (dont know the rate of it).
Somebody is probably going to be looking for him, so he should be wishing he was back in prison. The actions he did seem incredibly similar to what a psychopath or sociopath would do.
That is more than likely what he is.
I agree. Keep eyes 👀 on him.
I’m just going to call it like I see it.
On some level I blame Eric’s parents for everything leading up to the murder and the murder itself.
It was abundantly clear Eric had a problem and should have been seen by a pediatric neurologist years earlier, but NOTHING was done. He had learning difficulties, explosive anger, and behavioral disturbances; but NOTHING was done to address it
I agree totally.
I blame everyone in our society in that case. But like you I exempt myself.
I am unsure, I know that how I was at 13 and how I am now at 38 are as different as night and day. I cannot say with any certainty that he will or won't reoffend but I think giving him a chance is as dangerous as the ones you don't hear about everyday. I guess the real difference is that we are aware of this one
Are we all just pretending that Dr. Grande isn’t a serial killer?
He is just some innocent guy
With an average wardrobe
That lives in an average home
Perfectly clean
Nothing out of order, all straight lines, line up
And his minimal deco has a slight air of - this is what I salvaged from my mothers home before I burnt it to the ground…
And I know all this very intuitive stuff about all these terrible people
Because I am just GIFTED.
Ok Dexter, how many people you have buried in your crawlspace…
I shuddered when I found out Eric was being released. I believe it was a huge mistake and can only hope that he wants to stay out of prison enough to never murder again...but have serious doubts.
I think that the fact that over time he learnt the right words that would possibly convince the parole board to let him out is, without doubt, worrying in itself. It appears that he is still a dangerous man
The Cost of Bullying is truly a worthwhile topic in and of itself.
Apparently Smith wrote an essay a couple of months before the murder, this is a part of the article I read about this fact: "The essay described by Dr. Stephen Herman, a Yale University psychiatrist hired by the defense, was written in May 1993 as a creative writing assignment. It told the story of a person named ″crucified Chris, the evil one″ making a clay figure that sprang to life, then was killed in a battle with its maker.
″I took the second swing and chopped his arm and half of the whole body. The next swing I killed him. I chopped his head off,″ the boy wrote.
The essay ends, ″You’re next my friend. You’re ... ahhhh ... see you in hell my soon-to-be-dead friend.″ - "
I also think that Smith is a sociopath and needs to be strictly monitored...
I remember this story on 20/20 and how creepy this kid was, I have to say I'm real happy I don't live by him, there's something so off about him and now he's an adult!
Absolutely! Totally creepy!
I think he will offend again. He certainly needs to be watched closely.
Agree 100%. I feel like an experiment is being carried out, one that could end very badly.
Probably, protecting yourself and family is foremost. Police may or may not help when you need it most.
@@CMarkem 💯💯
@@CMarkem - You're scare-mongering.
We can’t predict that, because we have many family annihilator that were the last people in the world their families and neighbors suspect it would commit a crime, never mind killed the whole family, so let’s calm down and give him a chance. The same fear of having someone out of the blue killing his entire family, going to the school to shoot kids, or to the mall, it is like Eric, but at least we know his past, his steps will be monitored, and the others anonymous killers around the country, we don’t know, right? He was a child, so let’s see it, danger is not everywhere, but precautions are a must.
Fascinating case.
Hearing an analysis of the case is very thought-provoking, it is the first time I have probably heard of some of those disorders.
A very disturbing case, almost like an urban legend.
Thank you for the video.
Chilling episode! It’s impossible to understand how they could be satisfied with his answers. He’s clearly a sadistic psychopath and even as a child became excited when reliving what anyone else would describe as absolute horror and disgust. I hope he never gets a pet 😭
I remember first hearing this case as a young teen and just feeling the absolute fear in simply imagining what it would be like if he ever got out. The fact that he never took responsibility for that particular part of the assault would’ve been sufficient for me to keep him locked up if I was on the parole board. The glee he showed when reenacting the crime reminded me of how Ted Bundy sought to relive his own murders when he represented himself on trial. Both truly derived a morbid satisfaction in what they did. They should’ve never released Eric.
It’s a good thing they released him into Queens. Heaven knows Queens needs more psychopaths
He willing tortured a small child because he wanted to. He has no remorse and he will likely kill again. My heart breaks for Derek's family, his mother will carry the guilt of one bad decision for the rest of her life and how she raised her other children was greatly affected by what happened.
Can we assume by what is known about Eric Smith that he had some severe emotional/behavioral problems that went untreated? It seems that volumes have been written about the problems, but not much is ever done. I am devastated for the murdered child and his family, but also compassion for Eric.
This is horrifying - poor little boy, Derrick.
How does parole work? Do they test one's mental state? Is it like tv people who do not understand or have any background in telling one's mental state reading off a list? Is there a list to check like if he wants to move next to you? I think people have the right to know, They should not be able to hide based on the crime.
This is such a heartbreaking case. What went wrong with this boy that he was so sick at such a young age? I'm sickened about what he did but so sad for everyone in the case. Has he had any therapy in prison? Where any evaluations of his condition and mental state done?
I remember this case from when I was younger
I was diagnosed with Intermittent Explosive Disorder, but by my gastroenterologist.
What do I like love about this channel? Logical thinking, clear conclusions, dead pan humor.