Father kills accused child molester

by Roger Sinasohn (Subscribe to Roger Sinasohn's posts) Aug 31st 2006 11:30AM

Categories: Toddlers, Just For Dads, Safety

Jonathon Edington, a 29-year-old lawyer from Connecticut was told that his neighbor, 58-year-old Barry James, had molested his two-year-old daughter. This news came from his wife who was told by the daughter. So Edington went next door, climbed through a bedroom window, and stabbed the neighbor in the chest nearly a dozen times.

Of the alleged molestation, Capt. Gary MacNamara, chief of the administrative division for the Fairfield Police, said "we have no information to indicate it did occur, and we weren't investigating Mr. James for any illegal activity." MacNamara also said that "we have no indication it's true or not true." The police found Edington standing by his kitchen sink with a large kitchen knife on the counter next to him. He had what appeared to be blood on him. Edington was a patent lawyer and has no prior criminal record.

I perfectly understand Edington's emotion and actions; I have said before that if you messed with my kids, I'd do the same, only far more painfully. The troubling part about this story, however, is that nothing had been proven. There was no evidence, and he didn't take the time to investigate it to see if there was any truth to the allegations. What do you think? Did Edington jump the gun? Did James get what he deserved? What would you do if you were in Edington's place?

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Comments (14)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

san 8-31-2006 @ 12:02PM

I get the motivation but I don't get the follow through, though. His daughter was molested -- let's assume for argument's sake the allegations are true -- she was not murdered. I'm not making any kind of value judgment about killing the guy for something less than murder. Indeed some state laws provide for the death penalty for rape of a minor under a certain age. But the point here is that his daughter *is still alive*. She needs him. I bet she's pretty fond of her father. And now he is gone. You can talk all you want about jury nullification but I'd be surprised if a jury found him not guilty when there was not even a formal complaint with the police about the man's conduct with his daughter. Some juries will be glad to let you off for killing the man who raped your child, but they're not going to give you a walk for killing the guy you think may have harmed your child and you hadn't even reported it to the police yet.

This is just a tragedy for this little girl made infinitely worse by a terrible mistake in the way her father responded to it.

thordora 8-31-2006 @ 12:11PM

As someone who was molested by a neighbour as a child, It's sad to say that I would likely do the same thing in his position. There are certain things that a 2 year old would NOT be saying and doing unless something was going on. I'm not condoning what has happened, but I know in my heart that if I even suspect someone of molesting my girls, I will do very bad things to them. BUT, I know what the signs will be, and I'm sadly, very viligant already.

Hopefully I'll never be in a position to jump the gun, but based on what was reported of the victim's prior behaviours, I'm thinking that this guy had reason to believe the possibility was there.

Like san said though, sad on all counts.

CJ 8-31-2006 @ 2:41PM

Its really hard to say, would have I done that immediatly like he did? Probably not but had the athorities not looked into it immediatly and gotten to the bottom I probably would have taken things into my own hands, just a bit more sneaky LOL

i'm getting on my soapbox real quick!

I am a firm believer that child molestors can NOT be rehibilated. I have always said that if they let them out which most of them do get out unfortantly, that they should put a micro chip in them and Lojack there asses and so when they are where they are not suppose to be it hurts them in some way, or it releases a toxin! LOL They are monsters plain and simple. no other way to put it! ok i'm getting off my bos I need to sit! LOL

ann adams 8-31-2006 @ 1:54PM

I understand it and it's tempting. However, we've done away with vigilantes here for a reason. It's an invitation to mob rule and lynching. Our system may be flawed but it's better than the alternative.

This poor man didn't even give the system a chance to work and now his daughter will be without a father when she needs him the most.

It was a tragedy to begin with; he compounded it, and his family will be the losers.

san 8-31-2006 @ 2:21PM

"It was a tragedy to begin with; he compounded it, and his family will be the losers."

See Ann said it with greater eloquence, but I'll say it was just a damn stupid thing to do. Apparently the pedophile neighbor couldn't control his animal instincts and then the girl's father couldn't control his animal instincts, and now where are we? Imprisoned father, fatherless child, essentially widowed wife and mother, dead guy of perhaps forever unestablished guilt, sensational news story of no national import covered obsessively -- the only winner in this mess is court television.

Ginny 8-31-2006 @ 3:47PM

I don't know if I would have done what he did WHEN he did it, but I believe if I had proof that he did it, I'd do the same thing or maybe worse. (You know, a little more torture). Assuming this guy DID what the girl says...and I DO assume that a 2 year old would not be able to make these things up...I think the dad's a hero. So his dd will be without a dad for awhile (assuming he gets some jail time). She will always know that the monster is gone and daddy loved her enough to get rid of it. FOR GOOD.

san 8-31-2006 @ 4:11PM

You know honestly I can't believe what I'm reading. Unless these are just abstract comments about a situation in which you're not involved. I'll admit I have some personal moral issues with killing another human being outside the context of an immediate threat for which there is no other reasonable relief. But I am certainly no fan of child molesters. Indeed what bothers me most is that we agonize over each and every benign bruise, scrape and runny nose while someone else will so cavalierly harm the future health of my child's mind and body to serve an aberrant behavior over which they claim to have no control. Yet still I would not act on the urge to kill, especially if my child survived. The important thing is to be there with and for your child -- certainly at a time like this above all others -- and not to be the vigilante media hero who killed the bad man.

This father likely will go to prison, perhaps for a long time. According to our system of justice, he should. And for every one of the mythic stories of the grandfather who got time served and six months probation for murdering in cold bold the son-in-law who beat or molested his grandchildren there are a thousand stories about good men who went away for ten years.

Amy 8-31-2006 @ 9:19PM

I truly admire him for what he did. More people should do the same, and maybe molesters would stop preying on our children. He's a lawyer, so he probably already has a good defense plan. His neighbor got exactly what he deserved-she's only 2!

Jen 8-31-2006 @ 11:46PM

Um, I think this officially qualifies as jumping the gun-- and I am very much in favor of vigilante justice.

Sam Wright 9-02-2006 @ 9:06PM

The comments here are unbelievable. Hate the victum.

No one has yet to explain to me where and when did this murdered victum have access to the child. From everything I've read, it would seem that these two families hated each other.

Did the victum baby sit the child? No information, but again the killer here call the cops on him weeks before, so I'd stay baby sitting was out of the question.

Did this mother leave her 2 year old outside by herself in the backyard? Hello, again, what parent would leave a child of under 3 alone outside.

Again, this father's action are way over board for what is known.

Furthermore, the mother's action alone ARE WRONG. Her child gives indications of abuse and she does not call the police immediately. No, I'll tell my husband first. Well, yes, she tells him first. But you have to believe that her next immediate telephone call is to the police or child services. She's indangering other children in the neighborhood.

Again if the murder victum was guilty of molestion, then he should have served life in prison.

Father is going to jail.

Peter 9-05-2006 @ 11:27PM

First we have no idea what the little girl told the father. I have been on so many child molestation cases where the original complaint was based on a misunderstanding. If even the court psychiatrists and detectives and lawyers and the full weight of the lasw cannot arrive at the truth, then we have to admit that maybe the charges were bogus.
The child was 2 years old, almost at the age when she could be a credible witness, but certainly in the age group that is not aware of the reality of molestation.
Having said that, we are certain that the father murdered his neighbor. Until an investigation is conducted, that is the only true crime in this situation.
In my experience, I think that the investigation should also include a review of the relationship between the father and the child to find out where the molestation concept came from. We have found that open discussion of the topic often leads to fantasy response from the child, and if the relationship with the neighbor was less than friendly, then she may have projected onto the undesirable neighbor an undesirable action.
Clearly we have a murderer, a victim and two lost survivors because of the Rambo response from a frustrated father.

Michelle 10-04-2006 @ 8:36PM

I disagree with most of what you all are saying. I honestly don't think a two year old is capable of fabricating a sexual abuse story. It is quite possible that she fingered the wrong person out of fear of the real perpetrator, but children, even older children, do not "fantacize" sex abuse. It is so out of the realm of thier experience that they are very unlikely to do so.

As for the "losing her father when she needs him most," comment, take it from a sex abuse survivor -- if one of my parents had hurt my abuser it would have made be feel loved. Instead they were "nice" so as not to cause trouble. Traumatic is looking back and feeling that your parents didn't love you enough to take any risks for you.

Not to condone what this guy did, but by his reaction I wouldn't be surprised to learn he was molested as a child and his neighbor was a victim of misdirect rage.

Sam Wright` 10-23-2006 @ 8:37PM

Hey Michelle,

James was innocent. Edington is going to jail. He's a cold blooded killer.

http://1010wins.com/pages/110998.php?contentType=4&contentId=226357

Cops: No Molestation Before Dad Stabbed Neighbor

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (1010 WINS) -- Fairfield police have concluded that a 2-year-old girl was not molested by a neighbor her outraged father is accused of stabbing to death, a police official told The Associated Press Thursday.

Jonathon Edington, a 29-year-old attorney from Fairfield, is charged with killing Barry James on Aug. 28 after his wife told him of the abuse allegation, police said. Edington pleaded not guilty to the charge last week.

``We're confident this 2-year-old was not molested,'' said Capt. Gary MacNamara. ``We are confident in our investigation that Mr. Edington did in fact kill Mr. James. We are as confident in our investigation that Mr. James did not molest the Edingtons' daughter.''

MacNamara would not provide further details, but he did confirm that investigators interviewed the girl.

MacNamara also would not comment on whether the girl's mother would be charged.

``We have yet to determine the exact reason for the complaint to be filed or whether or not it was intended to mislead,'' MacNamara said.

His comments came two days after Bridgeport State's Attorney Jonathan Benedict told The Associated Press that authorities were unable to corroborate the molestation claim.

A telephone message was left Thursday for Edington's attorney, Andrew Bowman, who has declined to comment on the case.

James' family has continued to deny the accusation.

``The family of Barry James is adamant that Barry James was not a child molester, would never have harmed that child,'' Richard Meehan, the family's attorney, said Tuesday. ``We fully anticipated and expected there would be nothing to corroborate this. I believe the complaint is untrue.''

James' family encouraged police to thoroughly search his house and found no evidence typically found with child molesters, such as child pornography, Meehan said. He said the family plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against Edington and will depose Edington's wife.

``We're considering whether there are any other potential defendants in the case,'' Meehan said.

According to a police report describing the mother's account, the girl told her mother about the alleged molestation while the family was visiting relatives in Rhode Island.

The girl ``explained that she did not want to go home because of Barry,'' police said in the report. When her mother asked her to explain, the girl said ``that Barry puts it on her belly and her nose,'' the report said. When her mother asked her when James does this, she replied, ``He comes to me in the starry nights.''

After Edington's wife told him what their daughter said, Edington climbed through James' bedroom window and repeatedly stabbed him, police said.

James' 87-year-old mother, who is legally blind, lives with him and discovered the body. When officers went to Edington's home a short time later, they found him standing by his kitchen sink with blood on his hands and forearms, authorities said.

Officers said a large kitchen knife was found in James' bedroom.

Edington, a graduate of Syracuse University and Fordham University Law School, faces murder and burglary charges. He was freed on $1 million bond and was ordered to have no contact with James' relatives, who live in the house where James was killed.

renee lamp 11-24-2007 @ 10:57PM

ERIE, Pa. — An Erie County man accused of fatally shooting another man is facing new charges.

Thirty-three-year-old Terry Sherlock, of Corry, is charged with murder and related charges in the death of 28-year-old Kenneth Himrod on Tuesday morning at Himrod’s Union City trailer. He had been charged with homicide.
Himrod was shot 10 times in the head and neck. He was being investigated on allegations of molesting Sherlock’s son. Police say Sherlock told them that he would kill Himrod because he felt that investigators weren’t doing enough.

District Attorney Brad Foulk says that isn’t justification.

Sherlock’s wife, Crystal Sherlock, is charged with hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence. I grew up with Terry and he has been a friend of my dads for years.. He's a good guy very caring and loving.. Terry loves his family more then anything and being a parent of 3 children myself... and knowing that the guy that Terry shot was also accused of molesting a 5 yr old child previous to this accusation and was not charged on that account either.. Terr publically shouted out for help not once but twice and noone listened now that whole family suffers and do you know who is feeling the blame the most Terry's son.. He feels like OMG what if I hadn't have told then my Dad and mom would still be here. Terry has not always been perfect but he is my friend I have known him my whole life. and I am a former resident of Corry but I still know what goes on and Terr is usually hanging out with my dad.. Some of the people on the news that have spoken for Terr have propablly gave some people a poor image of him.. but the fact is plain he cares about his child and the police were warned knowing Terry they were propablly just like ohh well it will save us some paper work.. and the Corry police do show favorites lol just ask any Corrite under 40.. i want you to read this and tell me your honest oppionon would you convict him for murder because honestlly knowing him knowing all i do and being a mom I can't not to mention my father has informed me that Ter's brother is getting charged to... How about the corry police wouldnt they be an acsessory to since they knew that Terry was going to do something they arn't stupid they have known him all his life and have dealt with him before... This is a family torn apart because of one man who couldn't keep his hands off children.. Knowing terry and being a christian woman would I convict him I've searched my heart over and over for this answer and the answer is simply No!! being a parent myself I couldn't let someone harm my child and get away with it.. knowing that i went to the cops knowing that the man who did this had done it to another younger child and got away with it..knowing that my child cried at night and was scared for the rest of his life.. i would have done the same