In this situation, which became a court case, Hernando Washington committed various crimes against several women, namely murdering Sarah Gould. I have chosen this reading because I found the aspects of cultural differences interesting. While I would not go so far as to suggest that Hernando Washington had a mental disorder, he certainly had a different sphere of influence growing up than many of us readers likely have. In addition, I would not suggest that this justified his actions. However, this situation likely played a role in his further actions upon reaching adulthood. In the text, Lisa McIntyre gives vital background information which aided in my conclusions. When questioned about why he left Sarah in the trunk when he went to bars with his friends, he said the neighborhood he was in would not have been safe for her. Following that, he refers to the rapes as sex. These two points demonstrate that he may not have been a cold-blooded criminal. In a twisted way, he might actually have been looking out for Sarah’s well-being. This is also evident later on in the account, where he was …show more content…
He might have had some hostility toward police in the first place; it is said that the police made no attempt to help his sister following her rape. This could have turned into a personal grudge, which, along with his upbringing, could easily explain his murderous tendencies. His neighborhood as a child was filled with witnessing much crime, probably even multiple murders. Also, it is important to note that the previous three rape victims had also lived in the South Side, which further explains why he might have felt no shame in harming his fellow neighbors. Another interesting twist to the tale is that these women did not even press charges. This solidifies the fact of low levels of respect for police among South Side-dwelling Chicago