Topics Ethics

Question A former college roommate of mine, with whom I lived for a semester over two years ago, was recently arrested for the murder of a young woman (whom he apparently stalked for quite some time), and I have been called to the police to testify as a witness, presumably to his character. Being in this situation, and being a bit philosophically inclined, I have been facing down a lot of questions in my mind, and I would like to hear your thoughts on them. First, and most abstractly: at the time, was I living with a future murderer, or with someone who had the seed of a murderer in him? Or was he just a regular person? Also, when I look back, I seem to remember him as a bothersome person without much respect for personal boundaries. I certainly didn't like him, and after a month or two I did my best to avoid getting caught in a conversation with him. But can I be sure this is what I really thought of him, and not a feeling I am projecting back onto those memories now that I know what he has done? Is it possible I am reshaping my discomfort from the time such that it fits his crime? Am I a reliable witness? Perhaps most importantly - if I had accepted his manner, which seemed irritating to me, and had been his friend despite our differences, perhaps he would have had more positive experiences, and would not have stalked and killed this young woman. Am I, in some diffuse way, responsible for his turning into a criminal? I am sorry for the mix of questions. These events have been a bit unsettling for me.

Accepted:
December 9, 2011

Comments

That is unsettling. If true. Most of your questions suggest that you're already assuming he is guilty of the crime. Perhaps you should try to do what the legal system aims to do: assume he is not guilty until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I'm not sure why the police are interviewing you, but you should probably "stick to the facts" and describe your former roommate's behavior and habits, leaving them to interpret whether that offers any relevant evidence to this crime. To me, that would make you a more "reliable witness."

Now, if he is guilty, then I think it's an interesting question whether he had "the seed of a murderer in him," though it's not clear what that might mean. It may also be an interesting question whether you could have done anything differently such that things might have turned out differently (again, assuming they turned out the way you are assuming). But it's also a question that is almost impossible to answer, certainly without finding out a lot more information about him and his history. When we lack information about what to believe, I think we are pragmatically justified in not believing things that will cause us misery. So, given the information you've provided, I think you'd be wise to assume that (even if he is guilty), you did not contribute to that outcome.