Wow thats something when an article post goes from "This is so sad" and "I pray for Damon" to an argument about how useless or not useless J.W is? Figure out your problems somewhere else. This is not the place!

and just who are you cause thats a bunch of bull and i have the papers to prove it j.w. messed himself on rights to his child and i never denied the fact that he paid me child support so i would talk but i'm glad he still has a friend out their

P.S The fund was not set up by James it was set up by another friend of Erica's and the money is going to Damon and Rachel you have been getting child support from James for your son so you need to stop your lies and drama through this hard time for the family and friends and stay out of it!!!

Lets get one thing straight at the last month of her life she was not with that"loser" she had moved on with a really nice guy and the day she died she stood up for herself for the second time when dealing with Kyle and justsoyouknow your name is Rachel and you have kept your child away from James and as I remember you would start punching him first so if you want to fight like a man then take it! You have a bad temper and attitude!!!!

Hannah, his daddy's a convicted felon and isnt supposed to have firearms.

As for the piece of trash son of his, hope he gets life and hope the other inmates 'takes care of him' in a way only inmates can do. He'll be someones girlfriends for sure.

I guess it's true how they say...." The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" or "Like Father like son" Sad Sad Sad!

SwissChick- I do believe I read it somewhere that Mr. Hicke had taken the gun from his fathers closet and if the father was aware of his violent past you would have thought that his father would have made sure there was a safety lock on it, after all it could have been his father that he would have done this to.

LATIN, well said. As much as we would all like to think our experiences and intellegence make us knowledgeable of what a person goes through, no two situations are EVER the same, and no one ever knows what they would do until they are dealt that hand. We can generally speak of knowing the situation, but a lot comes into play. Many women in abusive relationships just don't have the strength a 'normal' (and I use normal lightly) woman would. There are many factors involved and it is too complex to even try to understand. I can generally speak of knowing what this little boy went through, by experiencing an abusive environment as a child, but my outcome in life and his most likely are going to be completely different because of the extent....etc. I saw my mother get abused and swore I would never let a man hurt me ever. Well, I have held true to that promise to myself, but with other consequences taking that place. So, just because one decides to be one way, doesn't mean that their life is going to be perfect. But one thing is a constant, love. And with the love and support of this little boys' family, he has a fighting chance.

JCK....I do have to admit, you are right, a sociopath doesn't have an obtainable conscience, and when they find it, it is usually too late.

i hope that this whole thing opens the eyes of people who may be in the same situation, this woman lost her life for finally standing up against this man, but what she had to go through before this only her and her family and friends know and from what has been told it was a long battle of abuse. No one should put up with abuse from anyone and it is sad that so many people are being killed by their family/loved ones.

edubswoman68 - That pig doesn't fall into the category that a safety-conscious person would.

Who ever heard of a criminal putting a gun lock on?

Sociopaths have no conscience.

my comments on that are how could somebody be so cruel. i mean she was only 25 for one thing. she has a 5 year old son now who is going to be tramatized for life wondering why is mommy not in my life? i think that hickie was acting completely childish when he shot her. she said no and he is just gonna have to deal with it wether he likes it or not.

I'm having a hard time understanding just one thing....Why in the world can't people just get along in a time like this? A women died for standing up for herself finally and you people wanna bash her for that. Why don't you concentrate on giving the woman peace now. Or even better yet about her poor son who has to go through life without his mother? Has everyone really lost concentration? There is no excuse for anything that happened that morning. So get over it, let it be. The man will get his day on judgment day. The big man will take care of him!

I have one question and it might seem to be way out there, but why wasn't there a gun lock on the weapon? It's not just to keep guns safe around little children! ALL GUNS SHOULD BE LOCKED UP PEOPLE!!!! Maybe this could have been prevented.

JoeFlint, I absolutely loved your last sentence, and that is true, her child should look at her as a strong woman who chose to NOT except being treated poorly, and even though the consequences were terrible, she was brave enough to stand up for herself. And that is what honor is all about, and this little boy should be so proud of his mommy. I hope he focus on that, how strong his mother was, not her being a victim. She refused to be a victim! She is resting now, peacefully, this man, who wanted her to feel his pain, is still in pain, and hasn't been given the gift of becoming an angel, as she has, he is still living in the hell he knew before he took her life, and a hell that will only get worse.

> choosing to fall in love with losers who abuse them isn’t a good idea

In this we are in perfect agreement; I fully admit that I have taken your comment out of context.

But where _is_ a better place to discuss this unfortunate fact? Speaking broadly, domestic violence remains "under the radar" until it is too late.

You have used an interesting word twice in your post, "choose":

Her last choice, standing up for herself, is what should be applauded, celebrated, remembered, and made widely known in an effort to prevent such appalling evil.

Why wasn't the entire Janesville School District placed on lock-down? There is a armed gun-man racing through the streets and our children are allowed to go outside for recess???

P.S. - the title really says it all....selfish.

I might not be too up to date on the statistics of drug and murder scenarios, but pot + murder don't seem to be a match in my mind. I would think if the man was smoking pot all night long, he would be pretty sleepy and not so functional. But I could be wrong. I do know it can make a person paranoid (no experience there...lol), so who knows. But I really don't think it matters what led up to "that morning" because his history is the best predictor of what he was capable of, and it is too bad he had one too many chances. I used to be addicted to the show snapped, but never thought about doing what those women did, and trust me, I have many family members that have driven me to the edge. Yes, there is some sort of short circuit in this man's mind, obviously, but deliberately driving with a weapon to her residence is premeditated in my mind, not an "I just snapped" moment. If that were the case, I would think he would have had done something at home. For him to even try and give an explanation as to why he did it other then he was a coward, is really quite ridiculous.

Rodrigo: No shame here – I think I helped by making everyone aware that the website was a fraud and OK, we get it that you are somehow “personally” involved and the grandmother is raising the child – you’ve said it at least 10 times.
Joeflint: Anybody with half a brain would understand that bashing women for choosing to fall in love with losers who abuse them isn’t a good idea on a blog about a woman who obviously chooses losers and eventually gets murdered by one of the losers.

rodrigo: unfortunatly as much as i'd like i wouldn't be able to attend a benifet i do not have transportation but i will be in town this weekend and i will be donating to one of the cans around town

trojan: thanks for the back up

Too bad.

I'd like to add that I know that you (shopierehuh) aren't the one who was talking about *where* to donate the money, I just had that on my mind and it happened to be the first thing I started typing about after I typed your name. In any event, I think you should stop giving "justsoyouknow" a hard time, as mistakes DO happen.

Shopierehuh- Personally, I think you should leave "justsoyouknow" alone. She was just trying to warn people to not donate to damon's site since she's pretty sure it's just a scam. She may or may not know where to appropriately donate the money, but she knows NOT to donate to the site that's been given.

I don't know who she is, I don't know if she's changed her life around and is living it better, but I do know that people make mistakes. Sometimes people keep making mistakes and they never learn, but sometimes people actually LEARN from their mistakes. It seems as though "justsoyouknow" has learned from her past.

I'm not perfect, I won't pretend like I am. I've made plenty of huge mistakes in my past, but you know what? I'm a better person *TODAY* because of those mistakes. As much as I don't like who I was or what I did in my past, I wouldn't change it if I could. I'm a better, stronger person because of my past. My guess is that "justsoyouknow" is also a better person because of her past. It also sounds like her child is the best thing that has ever happened in her life, it's just unfortunate that the father is who he is.

justcurious, I want to focus on THE CHILD WHO LOST HIS MOTHER RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIS EYES! I want to help him because he is a child who deserves to be helped, and anyone who is on here to do anything but help the child ought to be ashamed of themselves. So, on that note, how many people on this site would be willing to attend a benefit for Damon? I ask because if the people in this town are willing to help by attending, then I'm willing to help by putting together a crew to set one up. By the way, today is Damon's birthday. He's six. His mother wasn't there for his party, and he misses her very much.

well forgive me for not wanting to change my actions since i have a child changing my actions would mean my son would be no more and as for those comments they were said to a certain person who was also making assumptions about me....assume making an ass out of u and me so quit making an ass out of me...i'm not saying i'm perfect but i learn and grow from my mistakes and i do not try to change them for the mistakes i've made make me the person i am today

i would like to personally apologize to erica's family....i only said what i said to make sure that damon is takin care of since i know his father. i put what i knew out there so unsuspting people will think twice about putting their personal information on a website with little to no information where that money is going....instead i've started a pissing match which is only adding to your grief I am truly sorry but i only had damons best interest at heart after all my son is his half brother

I know from personal experience that J.W is scum... And I wouldn't doubt that he is using this tragedy to get some money in his pocket.

shaperihoh: and what makes you think i didn't know him for a while i met him when i was 17 got preg at 21 you do the math just because we were only dating for a short time doesn't mean squat....i wouldn't change anything so does that mean i made the wrong decisions....and like your perfect

justsoyouknow, You are now injecting murder of an innocent into the "discussion". That is off the wall feces. One of my points was that perhaps one might get to know a person before certain aspects of a relationship develop. Whatever. There are two kinds of people in the world, those who make good choices and those who don't.

justsoyouknow, Yes you are fortunate, a child is a very beautiful thing.

joe flint, "cognitive dissonance"- I had to look it up, I like it, I will use it once in while. It might sometimes be used instead of hypocrisy, no?

I don't believe that you are running this website are you? There are people talking about this fellow who "threw me on the ground....", about this guy who has children with this woman and this woman and he is about as worthless as they come. Another guy accusing someone of defrauding by falsely asking for donations.

All of this is being publicly aired on this public forum. I will comment on TRASH behavior as I see fit on this public forum. If it is not liked, do not air this TRASH BEHAVIOR because I will comment on it.

shopierehuh: unless you have been in a domestic violence situation you have no place to talk....it's hard to get out of them...erica was trying but the scumbag wouldn't let her...as for us spreading our legs i can tell you j.w. may not be the model father but without him i wouldn't have my beautiful son whom i don't know what i would do without

Sorry, I can't resist: you experienced no cognitive dissonance...?! I mean the posts are only five minutes apart!

> I'll discuss anything I want...

> I don't think this is the right time [for you] to be discussing...

Shopiereduh: I don't think this is the right time to be discussing bad choices that women make, because I feel you are referring to the victim of this crime. In a way you are blaming her because of her choice of men.

Just Curious, you don't think women should make better choices to have a child with than one or two of the males mentioned on this site? I mean try a non-felon, or a non-violent person, or a person who can provide a living for a family, or one who make rudimentary attempts at being law-abiding, or gosh this is brutal, try getting married instead of just multiplying in an irresponsible manner.

Rodrigo: I'll discuss anything I want to. Stop trying to control other people's opinions. You want to focus on canisters or whatever, I don't.

True colors? What colors are those?

Shopiereduh: Watch out your showing your true colors - Considering the nature of this article, it probably isn't a good time for you to go women bashing when they have obviously been the victims in these cases.

Wow! An assemblage of Americas Finest to be sure. Not at all ashamed to air it all right here in front of the world. This is better than Cops, that Earl show, The National Enquirer, and that Springer Guy. Only this is real.

Thank you very much.

Justcurious- I think we understand. You don't think anyone should donate to the website, or to the father in any way shape or form. We get it. Can we focus on ways that we CAN help the child now?

oops my bad it was 2002 not 2001

hannah: also the pidly $32 a week that i recieve from his unemployment goes to my son and my rent and bills are paid ty very much...what i said on here is the truth what you say is assumption...don't start talking crap unless you know the situation

hannah: yes i lived with j.w. for a while but i got out after he threw me on the ground and sent his ass to jail i haven't seen him or talked to him....(other than court) since sept 19,2001 when his oldest was 9 months...so please don't put me in that group

Maybe we should send baby daddy some money so he can quit his job at Burger King and take care of his kids.

a list is right:
Battery-5
sexual assault 4th degree-1
debt-2
felony theft-1
bail jumping-1
disorderly conduct-9
Restraining orders-2
Worthless checks-1
domestic abuse-3
money owed to unemployment -1
Operating after suspension-5
Eviction-1
Operating w/out license-1

unfortunately i know more about murderers than i care too, once upon a time I was a public defender, not in wisconsin but the murderer mentality loans itself nationwide. those days are behind me now and i enjoy a semi retired medical supply vocation.
.
not that i need to explain anything to you my friend.

who's fighting?? we're not... and yes, we did donate, but we utilized the one of the memorial cans...

miltonalum: Do you really want to know about first degree murderers in Wisconsin? I can't tell if you are blowing hot air or knowledgeable? I can give you a reality check if you want.

armyof3: Ok - you wanna fight about it - let's just wait and see what comes of it.You have already donated, RIGHT?

joe flint,
.
No, the death penalty would not have prevented this murder, as it is a penalty for a murder that has already been committed thus that point is moot.
.
I can, however tell you what the death penalty is 100% effective at. Preventing future murders by monsters. Did you know that the average time served for 1st degree murder is about 14 years? so in possibly 14 years (though unlikely with this guys record) he could be out and there will be a 19 year old somewhere who watched this man kill his mother wondering what hes doing at all times. Though the chances this guy will ever see the light of day are probably about .01%, with the death penalty the chances this guy wont ever see the light of day and this little 5 year old can live a comfortably life with peace of mind are 100%
.
Ill take the latter.

brandy76128: you're right, unless the grandparent can prove the still living parent to be unfit... in this case, the father is unfit, and the courts will take into consideration his lack of work, his living environment, and look at his past criminal activity prior to making a decision... he has proven himself to be unfit in all ways imaginable, and custody will be placed w/ the grandmother...

pulled directly from the site: "As we all know it costs a lot to raise a child from 5 - 18 so anything and everything can and will help get cloths, school supplies, and a college tuition. These things are things that now rest on the shoulders of Damon’s father and grandmother. So anything you can give is welcome with a hug. We are grateful for any help that one might be able to offer. The financial responsibility now rests on Damon's Father James S. And his Grandmother Sue."
.
though he is the award winner for worst father in our lifetime (if you ask me), he is still (unfortunately) Damon's father... even with Grandma Sue being awarded custody, he's still responsible for Damon in some way... it nowhere says that the proceeds are all going to JW... only caught a couple spelling errors and a couple improper noun form usages, but why be picky when it comes down to a few editing errors when Damon needs help??

AdamCavenagh: One minute you claim to be Damon's uncle, then you say your are "like" an uncle. Since you set up this website, why don't you tell everyone where the money is going that you are begging for (pennies)

ty for the feedback i just hope this is handled the right way. as far as him going with his father wont that be up to the courts? i believe that a grandparent would be under the legal parent.

there is the probability of having the right idea with the best intentions, but lacking the knowledge of how to set the site up... whether there's any truth behind that concept is one thing that I'm unsure of... we just wish the best for Damon, whether it's through donation site/benefits/memorial cans/bank deposits or not (financially speaking of course)... he will always have a very strong emotional support system... we do know that his care will fall souly in his grandma's hands... his father won't be awarded custody...

brandy76128: You really don't know the answer to your question? Because it is a scam. Check it out - half the words are spelled wrong and it says the money is going to go to James Secor to help raise his child. Do you really believe that he is going to start paying for his child now when he hasn't for the last 5 years?

what i would like to know is why the donations on that one website for the little boy isnt going directly to a bank. other families have funds that state make donations to a spicific bank.. so where is this money going to? anyone know? it needs to be stopped so this cant be used for some body just getting other peoples money and it not oing to where it should be.

then why wouldn't he just set the website up himself instead of asking someone else to do it

justsoyouknow: I doubt that JW is going to change his ways/mannerisms when it comes down to the care for your son, Damon, or his daughter Dez... from what I've been told is that he isn't the one that set the donation website up... someone else, who's primary concern is to ensure that Damon is taken care of, set the site up... yes, there are donation cans out along w/ benefits being run through some of the local bars, thus other means for donations being utilized, but assuming that he set the site up for his own personal gain is a bit far fetched... imo, he's not smart enough to think that far ahead, especially when something this devestating occurs...

Bring back the electric chair.

My son is damons half brother...james doesn't do anything to support my son i doubt he does anything to support damon

Wow. This is a weirdly written article. Is this what they're teaching in Journalism school?

Well put, trojanvirus. Again, the grandmother is raising the child, and there are ways of getting donations to her that will be used in the care and upbringing of the child, such as cannisters in local businesses and benefits that are being put together by members of the community to raise support for the child. And also, the school district of Janesville and the ywca are also places that might have ideas on how to donate and be sure that your donation is going to the direct care of Damon.

justcurious-
I don't remember if I had said anything to you specifically for you doubting the donation, but if I have, I apologize.

I think maybe it depends on how things are worded when telling people to be cautious of a possible scam. For example, if you seem to be attacking something, people's natural reactions are to be defensive, but if you just try to gently remind people that scams *do* happen, even in tragic cases such as this one, without attacking, then it's easier for people to keep their eyes open and be aware of any situation.

With any charitable cause, you always want to look into it before donating your money.

AaaaaHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! I told you - the website is a scam - look up the DADDY who is begging for money to help raise his son. Domestic abuse, disorderly conduct, restraining order, child support, eviction (while he lived with the defendent),operating while revoked, worthless checks,bail jumping, child support. There you go all you people who have been bashing me for pointing out the obvious. You want him raising your kids - better yet send him some money!

And even more to the point... "Godless, liberal New England" has only had four executions since 1976 and collectively as a region has the lowest murder rate in the country! On the flip side of the coin, the South has had 921 executions since 1976 but it is obvious it is not deterring anyone from committing murders down there...

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/murder-r...

> This is why all states need capitol punishment. [sic]

Why? Would the existence of the death penalty have prevented this crime?

It is a tragic fact that almost every state that has the death penalty has HIGHER murder rates than states that do not.

http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/state_by...

Not surprisingly, the states with the lowest murder rates are along the northern tier and are relatively unpopulated or are located in the upper Midwest (WI, MN, IA) where progressive values (cf. Bull Moose Republicans) have been dominant for well over 100 years.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bull_Moose

There are donation cannisters around town and benefits being set up in the near future. The money raised through those methods will be going to Damon's grandmother (Erica's mother) who is legitimately going to be using the money for his care and upbringing, as she has taken on the task of caring for him. Anyone who has the gall to use this tragedy to scam money will get caught and punished. In the meantime I would suggest donating through the cannisters that are out there or attending one of the benefits that will be set up in the near future. The school district of Janesville might have some ideas, as well, or maybe the ywca.

damon's fund is a fishing scam the last name is secor he has been in jail for domestic abuse and he has a 7 year old son that he doesn't support

I honestly don't know why my comment keeps on getting removed i'm not against funds for the family as long as they go to the deserved person....i'm only trying to let unsuspecting people who donate to damon's fund whats really up
**********************************************
I just want everyone who is considerin donating money to damons fund to give it to the grieving family and not damons fater.....His last name is secor and he has spent time in jail himself for the same type of thing..... I should know i'm one of his victims....He's been in jail for domestic violence i know this for a fact....I am also the mother of his seven year old son that he has not supported...James is just fishing for money because he doesn't work...He will not use that money for his son...and i hope the courts will see his record and keep him from getting custody...damons been through enough he doesn't need anymore trauma....DON'T TRY TO DENY THIS J.W. YOU KNOW WHO THIS IS AND YOU KNOW I'M TELLING THE TRUTH

secor secor secor

Sorry for "shouting" dave but i want to make sure that damon is taken care of and to let anyone wanting to support the family what damon's fund is all about....my deepest sympathys to erica's mother and family. J. W. you should be ashamed of yourself using this tragedy for your personal gain

justsoyouknow: Could you do me a favor and use lower-case letters? It's very difficult to read something in ALL CAPS, which is referred to as SHOUTING. Thank you.

"In Texas, if you kill someone, they will kill you BACK." -Ron White (Tater Salad)

This is why all states need capitol punishment. This 5 year old boy has to live the rest of his hopefully long life knowing that the person who killed his mom, who he watched shoot his mom, is alive and in prison and although a remote one, a potential threat should he be released on parol ever.
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The best thing that could have happened is a police officer saw him reach for something and pulled the trigger the day he was taken into custody.

unknown - Nothing ever gives anyone to the "right" to *capriciously* take the life of another. No matter one's beliefs (or lack thereof), no one in their right mind disagrees that life is precious and that those who take the life of another are truly the lowest of the low. Sorry for the pain and the answerless questions that you and yours must endure.

mamato3 - "gone to war for less" A bit extraordinary of a claim; we have not gone to war over the murder of one person; nevertheless, feel free to peruse my comments in other threads, I think you will find our position on certain recent wars is not dissimilar though perhaps for very different reasons. "eye for an eye" - if one is a Christian, this was abolished at the Sermon on the Mount. Without delving into Constitutional issues (e.g. separation of Church and State), our nation's laws are based on primarily upon English Common Law which draws upon Natural Law which is certainly expressed at various points of the Bible, particularly the Sermon on the Mount. Even if one is not Christian, "eye for an eye" is generally seen as quite archaic, although it exists in certain legal systems even today.

Personally, I think that all U.S. prisons need to follow Joe Arpaio's model: tents, pink underwear, no TVs, honest-to-goodness chain gangs. Prisoners perform labor six days a week. Unfortunately though, even with such punishment, the recidivism rate is about the national average. Draw your own conclusions.

SuperDave - thoughtful comments; I pretty much agree. Who defines open and shut is really the problem, isn't it? (Along with "Who watches the watchers?") There will always be edge cases that could go either way just as there will always be cases where the defendant is clearly guilty or clearly innocent. As with any profession, the legal one would be easier if it just did not have to deal with other people!

SuperDave you should run for office!!!
Sheriff Joe should go on tour to train other law enforcement agencies too.
Wisconsin jails and prisons would be so much more interesting. *grins*
http://www.mcso.org/index.php?a=GetModul...

hes a pig i hope he rots.

morgansmom: Because, who defines what is an "open and shut case"? Death penalty cases are subject to endless appeals, and I think I read once that they cost over a million dollars on average. Believe me, I've thought the same things before. But as a practical matter, someone (judge/jury) has to make the call, and that decision can and has been wrong in the past, meaning that innocent people have been executed.
hannah: I'm sure prisoners have actually made license plates from time to time. License plates are something that the state has to supply, so that makes sense. What I'm talking about is "for-profit" prisons. I really don't care if they are privately run or not. The point is, they have this big pool of labor, why waste it? Turn a money loser for the state into a money maker! And I also don't care what the prison produces, whether it's license plates, alfalfa sprouts or flashlight batteries.
Just do something productive!

"He has "hurt" you; some want to hurt him back. How is that any different?"

An eye for an eye comes to mind. That man is just plain evil. It's that kind of evil that brings out human beings natural tendency to protect our own and banish him for the good of mankind. No?
As for hurting him back..we've gone to war for less.

The death penalty is always a touchy subject, but why can't it exist for these open and shut cases? Why can't it exist where there is irrefutable proof of a criminal's guilt (i.e. the people whose crimes are blatantly witnessed by others in broad daylight or caught on video)?

Joeflint talks about the two scenarios of the theft of a loaf of bread...clearly the circumstances for that crime should be investigated and I'm all in favor of the starving man trying to feed his family getting off scot-free (this one time) and being led to a shelter.

But a person was murdered and murder in this fashion is inexcusable. Any act where a person dies needs to be thoroughly investigated. In some cases, as in the present situation, the investigation will be short. If a person kills someone else in self-defense, that also needs to be investigated. If it is truly self-defense in which the potential victim's life was in danger, I would not convict the person who killed the other of murder or even manslaughter. As far as I'm concerned, if another person intentionally wants to kill someone and the table is turned, other lives may have been saved.

I definitely understand all the "fine lines" my ideas present and, if we can't abide by them and there truly is a risk of putting an innocent person to death, then the system is flawed and probably unfixable. So send these criminals to a desert prison camp, let them grow their own food, produce their own energy (for their TVs for pete's sake), and make their own clothing. People who commit crimes these days have absolutely no fear of consequences. One way or the other, that needs to change.

Wow....that's about all I can say.

I'm a looooooong time friend of the victim and her family have known her son all his life Am deeply hurt I have and will always feel her family and friends pain And Her son would like to know why the accused hurt his mommy they should let him ask the accused this the accused also has a 7 year old child who was friends with the victims son and family who I'm sure is wondering what happend

I am not in any way diminishing the content or events of this horrid crime, but the way this article is written leaves me wondering if the Gazette staff writer is a robot...

joeflint: Excellent post! I also oppose the death penalty, and that's hard for me to say because in cases like this, emotionally I would like to see this guy fry. But my problem with the death penalty is that it is applied by government, meaning that it is prone to error.
The other thing I would like to mention is that prisons should be run for profit. Give the prisoners certain basic rights, but also give them the opportunity to be productive. Even those serving life sentences would likely prefer to do something meaningful with their remaining time, rather than simply sit idly in their cells. And it's wrong to expect taxpayers to pay for what amounts to free room and board for life, for scumbags such as this one. My two cents.

The death penalty is fine by me for open-and-shut cases such as this one; however, the national trend has been to abolish the death penalty precisely because not very many cases are this easy to prosecute. Mistakes can be made during the collection of evidence, police often stop an investigation if they think they already have the right suspect, the prosecution can make mistakes during trial, etc. One only needs to look at how many people on death row have been exonerated, some after many years in prison. If only every criminal case were this easy to prosecute.

I will add that nothing, no additional laws nor any risk of greater penalty, deters certain criminals or people in certain states of mind. Criminals typically break the law believing they will not be caught and that if they are caught they can receive a reduced sentence or gain parole at some point.

Mandatory sentencing guidelines are no panacea either: look at the war on drugs and how many non-violent offenders are imprisoned.

To trot out my usual, non-emotional example against mandatory sentencing: stealing a loaf of bread because one's family is starving versus stealing a loaf of bread because one is bored. Technically, both acts have the same outcome: the shopkeeper has lost a loaf of bread; the person who stole the bread is a thief. If caught and convicted, should the same sentence apply to both thieves? I should rather hope that all of us agree that the circumstance and intent do in fact matter.

Precisely because of the uncountable sets of circumstance, motive / intent, and opportunity, our legal system often differentiates crimes and their subsequent punishment. This is also why judges generally have considerable discretion when rendering judgement.

In this particular case, given this individual's lengthy record, the violence of the crime, the known circumstances, and a likely confession, I rather doubt that a judge or our DA will treat him with much mercy.

I comment on the format of this story only because some readers aren't understanding it.
Mr. Sullivan paraphrased this (I use this next word with a spastic cringe) man's last thoughts before/during/after he forfeited his status as a regular citizen the best way that he thought was proper, yet informative.
His job is to get news, process it, and write it as soon as possible to those of us who want it. That is exactly what he did.
Nobody wants to hear news like this, let alont report it, even if it is his job. Kudos to him for a job well done.
This sucks for everyone, parents, friends, family, readers, cops, and reporters alike.

how sad.. love is a word that is thrown around to lightly these days.. :( i couldnt imagine the pain that these familys are going though..

This happened right down the street from my friends house. The blood is still on her back porch..

(This will touch a few raw nerves but needs to be stated. For the record, I do not know him and I hope he is prosecuted and incarcerated to the maximum extent allowed.)

To those who would be vigilantes:

Unfortunately nothing in this world will bring Erica back and nothing in this world will change what has happened.

He has "hurt" you; some want to hurt him back. How is that any different?

Purrmaid: I totally agree. The article was well-written, although with an unusual, detached tone.
ledzep77: MOVE ON?!? FISH IN THE SEA?!? (btw, I'm only SHOUTING because I am quoting YOU). You are so off-base! The problem is NOT his emotional state, his feelings, his anything. The problem is that he murdered a human being. GET IT?

I totally disagree, Chrystol. The manner in which the story is conveyed, via short succinct sentences, magnifies subtle nuances often lost when normally reading or quickly scanning multi-sentence paragraphs. With each period, we pause and reflect that extra millisecond on what we've just read, imagine the scene described, remember an important fact, feel rage at the injustice, etc. I commend Ted Sullivan for choosing this format as it emphasizes the selfishly narcissistic thought process of a worthless sociopath.

Prevention is correct that to many mentally ill are untreated but this guy isn't one of them. He is a mean bully. His B.S. about pot is laughable also. I smoked a lot of pot in my youth and I don't remember me or my friends acting like that. If anything he would have asked for some munchies.
He certainly wouldn't have driven 90 miles an hour, 40mph would be pushing it. The fact that he tried to escape means he knew he did wrong.
In his case the death penalty would be nice but sitting in a very small room for the rest of his life doesn't sound all that fun either.

I must say, this is one of the worst "news articles" I have ever read. It appears to be nothing more than a collection of disjointed sentences. I am severely disappointed. Content, maybe...delivery, NO!

Plea bargains do have a place. But not with a guy that has a lengthy record. THAT is appalling. Plea bargains are for people that are typically good people that may have made a few bad decisions. Plea bargains SHOULD NOT be for people with a rap sheet 2 1/2 pages long! The only way that happens is when someone would rather golf, etc than actually do their job! And the judge(s) should have never allowed it either! THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS!

billnewbie: If ALL people would treat ALL people with respect & dignity, the world would be a different place. It happens on both sides of the fence. It may be reported more (men on women), but it DOES happen both ways.

Before I say anything, this is a real tradgedy. My condolences to all involved, Especially that little boy. He is going to need some serious help.

prevention: There are also many that are being treated that refuse to take their meds, etc. for whatever reason. I worked with a guy many years ago, and was friends with him. One day he flipped out, and was found to be bipolar. He was taking medicine, and decided to "see if he was ok" without the medicine. (I asked as a concerned friend if he was feeling ok and if he was taking meds). He didn't like the way they made him feel, and also to see if he needed them. I told him that the circumstances, etc. pretty much mandated he needed them. That is neither here nor there. CCAP is there. Very easy to access. There is NO reason that ANY woman bring a STRANGE MAN, etc. into your home without checking him out. A guy that has 2 1/2 pages on CCAP is NOT one you want to involve yourself with. Don't have a computer? Go to the library!

031103: see above.

I am not blaming anyone, but an ounce .....it really doesn't matter.

Gina: I don't think ONLY young women should check, or ONLY women for that matter.

Then again, some people are actually attracted to these kinds of people. These kinds of people exist in good and bad economies, and in just about every town. OJ Simpson comes to mind.

If some men would stop thinking of women as fish, or cattle, or whatever dehumanizing thing they think of other than living, breathing fellow human beings perhaps there would be less domestic violence and fewer dead women.

I am just in shock that our community is experiencing so much psychopathic behavior!!! WTH??? I find it hard to believe it is directly related to ONLY the loss of jobs. There is an obvious "under-current" of degenerate behavior going on here. It has been escalating over the past 10-15 years. What kind of society are we introducing our children and grandchildren to? I feel like moving my entire family (immediate and extended) to a private island... to keep them from going through all this crap!

The guy is a loser and I sooooo wish we had the death penalty.

Prayers for this little child as he now has to live without his mother.

as far as i am concernd he can rot in that jail cell what he did to her and her family was wrong they are suffering alot i know because my husband is the girls father for all of those who send your condolences thank you

well what was put in this article is a lot more detail than i have ever seen them put in any other article. we were given he every thought and feeling up to the moment of the killing and after.

The article isn't making excuses, they're just printing the news as it comes in.

the tv thing is a joke, there are a lot of people who are heart broken and watch tv and don't go get a gun and kill the person they are in love with. This is not the action of a normal person this is an action of a person who has no heart or ability to feel. A person who feels could not of possibly walked into a home and killed a mother in front of their child. This article makes it seem like they are trying to make excuses for what this man did, and really they can print whatever they want to but that will not change the fact that this man is a monster

Oh, and I also understand his appearance is by video and he isn't in the courtroom.

So he gets to sit in jail, have a warm bed, three square meals a day, television, free medical, dental and vision. All free to him. More than most of the unemployed in our area get. Bravo!

Actually, the camera was on him sitting down for a time and then he leaned way forward. I just watched it on Channel 3 again.

Send the sicko away where he can "feel the pain" of Bubba for many, many years!

good post billnewbie. for real.

I disagree Prevention, Mr. Hicke has been helped repeatedly for the last 17 years. Since he was 20 he has been flaunting the law time and time again. His first conviction was for bail jumping, the only conviction he had from 1991 to 1994, an obvious plea bargain. I wonder what charge the Rock County D.A. dropped? He's had multiple Domestic Abuse charges reduced to Disorderly Conduct and misdemeanor Battery. He's had a Habitual Criminal charge dismissed by request of the D.A. though read into the record. He had a misdemeanor Indecent Exposure conviction that he plead to (yet another plea bargain). He has at least 1 child he doesn't want to help support and so many Driving while Revoked charged dropped by the prosecutor that I'm amazed the police bothered to write him tickets for that crime as often as they did. Oh yes, this habitual criminal has had lots of help, from a Rock County D.A.’s office that would rather save money than punish crime. Would Mr. Hicke have been reformed had he served all the time his criminal activities had earned him? Who can say, but perhaps this poor dead woman would have had a more accurate assessment of Mr. Hicke’s true nature, or maybe he would have still been serving time and she would still be alive, never having been at Mr. Hicke’s less than generous mercy. I realize that many are in favor of plea bargaining, but how many of these criminals do we have to suffer with their ever increasing disrespect for the law until we realize that plea bargaining only benefits the criminal in furthering his criminal career?

I hope young women will check ccap before they date someone. If he's got 2 pages long you might want to reconsider. And this guy is not a "kid". He is 37 years old. Unfortunately his age doesn't come close to comparing with his maturity level which is zero. What a selfish person.

The melodramatic writing style of this article is in bad taste. I think that the 'journalist' is trying to express the drama of the event, but the crime is dramatic enough in itself. You should treat your readers, and more importantly, those involved in this real life tragedy with more respect by avoiding writing this as if it is fiction. It reads as if it's spoken word poetry, or a screenplay. The style distracts us from the fact that many real lives have been forever changed in a very serious way and that one person has been killed.

normalcitizen: there are too many people out there that are left untreated for their mental illnesses. I do not know the guy, I am not a doctor, but my experience in working with mentally ill, he was left unhelped for too long-- just like all the others.

He can set the stage for being insane all he wants. The proof to me that he knew what he was doing is him flipping the bird a half hour later, after freaking out about where he was gonna go, and the cops chasing him. He may not have thought it all through, but I'd have to say that he had EVERY intention to shoot her.

Why in the world would this woman have even STARTED to date this guy is beyond me. She has a baby at home, or was it his? This guy is a felon and you date him?!

I am not blaming her AT ALL, but ......?

Thankfully this guy is off the streets, but how many more are out there like him?!

This creature is a cowardly sociopath who guns down unarmed, innocent victims. It is too bad that he did not die that day. Now the taxpayers will be paying for him, 25-30 thousand per year for the duration.

Of course it has been illegal for him to posess firearms since his first felony conviction in 1991. I wonder if the family member who allowed him access to the pistol will be charged.

Well, I suppose this coward will find a good life in prison, all of the sex he wants and everything else. That might be what he wanted all along.

He is just pure evil, a real man/person would never impose harm on the person they love no matter what happens, when you love someone you are suppose to always want them safe and no harm done to them, this is sick and twisted and not a true love, he took this woman's life and ruined her son's child hood. No matter what he says there is not a justified answer, he can spew all that crap all he wants but it does not make it okay, he gets no sympathy at all, he punched her in the face and then shot her, he will forever have to deal with what he did and i pray that it is behind bars and never out in freedom

Swisschick-He was in a seperate room two feet from the camera and probably the wall. He leaned forward to sit down and thats why his face came close.

"All right, Mr. Demille, I'm ready for my close up"

This kid is going to be suffering some more!!! Yea, he could've been put out of his misery, but why? Let him sit and contemplate it and get to know REAL pain, the pain you have that is greater than a break-up in a relationship. There is more to life that a significant other. This boy never seemed to have gotten it. Now, there is a mother, a daughter, a girlfriend dead because of his lack of reasoning and self-restraint.

I'd be willing to put this guy out of his misery. Slowly and in front of HIS loved ones.

Man oh man, he is a selfish, narcissistic legend-in-his-own-mind kind of guy. False sense of self worth based on how much those around him cowered and catered to his whims. Mr. Big Fish in a Small Pond. Glad he didn't die so that he can be bullied and told what and when to do every little thing by prison guards and other inmates. I bet his visitors list will be mighty short.

I'm most concerned for her child. That poor baby was there when mom died a horrible death. No child should ever see that kind of thing. I agree, why couldn't he just off himself, that would have been easier to recover from and the world would have been rid of him.

I disagree. It's like reading the Cliff's Notes version. He may be going for impact and clarity, but I think I could understand full paragraphs.

Good article, nice layout.

Right on Delta fox !!!

Why mention the "sleeveless shirt and tattoos up and down his arms"? That implies that all men with tattoos and sleeveless are homicidal. Just my opinion, for what it's worth. I hope he spends the rest of his life in jail...how horrible for her family and friends, and especially her 5 year-old son.

Did anyone see him on the news this morning? He got up from his table and put his face right into the camera and looked like a total freak. If the situation wasn't so damn serious, it would have been kind of a hoot the way he was acting. Probably setting the stage for a wack-o defense.

I'm kind of wondering why a deputy wasn't stationed right there and made him sit before he got that far. Hm.

This article is written in an odd way. Almost like 'just the facts'. But how could someone having morbid thoughts grab a gun to go to her house with the intent to 'make up with her and possibly have sex'?
Sounds more like his belated excuse than a fact.

As much as people talk about domestic violence in schools the simple fact is that most kids just dont hear it. I think it is important to stop violent offenders before they do kill someone. I think every person goes through a lot of bad things in life. Most of the time they never settle the issues. Some snap and some dont. I think teaching our young how to deal with life in healthy ways and being able to interact with others is what we really could use.

I can only hope this criminal starts to feel pain very soon! Sounds like he is setting up a defense of mental illness or drug induced criminal action. Regardless, he will rot in prison and then in a place where it is quite hot and filled with fire and pitchforks.

I sincerely hope that he gets two or three consecutive life sentences so we never have to hear from this idiot again.

I hope the DA/prosecutors set-up a tripod with a giant poster-size photo of this killer flipping the bird, as it appeared in the Gazette, as he tries to outrun law enforcement - set it up and leave it up in front of the jury during his entire trial.

You notice the word "TV" was used in this article before this animal did his evil act? Hmmmmmm............!!

I don't have any empathy for this guy at all. He is immature and selfish and chose to take a life to make himself feel better. For some reason these kind of men can't take no for an answer and then decide to end someone's life. Fortunately he will go away for a long time. His excuse that he was smoking pot is no excuse. This was a man with a violent record. Wasn't the first time he had hurt a woman. These kind of men
(I hesitate to call him that) would never take on another man. He choses to pick on women. I have no respect for men that harm women.
Again if you find yourself in a threatening position or are receiving threatening emails or text please call the YWCA hotline. You may save your ow life.
The # is 608-752-2583 or 1-800-750-7990

I am just so glad he didn't shoot the boy, as many of these abusers do. We need to do more to talk about domestic violence in our schools, in our churches, and in our communities. This is a modern-day scourge.