I Was Going To Start a New Blog...

Called "People are Stupid". The purpose of this blog would be to enumerate the frequent and repeated idiocy of the human race, for illustrative purposes. Sources would have included the internet, my work, and occasional trumped-up stories from my college days. Then, thanks to this AP article, I realized that my assistance in this matter was unnecessary:

Michael Christmas, 40, of Shaftsbury, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the killing Saturday of Ronald Wilkins, 36, of North Bennington. Christmas also is charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault. After his arraignment, the Vermont District Court chamber erupted in chaos, with friends and relatives of the two men screaming, cursing and shoving benches as they tried to get at each other. Some were knocked to the floor before Vermont State Police troopers, sheriff's deputies and others could hustle them outside. The incident began when Wilkins' girlfriend, Pam Conley, swore at Christmas, calling him a "gutless" expletive. "You stole my kid's father. You stole a good man. You are a worthless piece of (expletive)," she said. "He's a good man, too," one of Christmas's relatives shouted back. Christmas, 40, pleaded not guilty. Each of the four charges against him carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Court documents say that late Saturday afternoon, Christmas - riding a bicycle - went to the Shaftsbury home of former father-in-law Ron Harrington, pulling out a 9 millimeter pistol and shooting Wilkins five times on a patio in back of the home. A family friend, identified in court papers as C.L., told police he saw Christmas ride up on his bicycle and approach Wilkins. "Don't shoot, don't shoot," Wilkins said, according to C.L. "How do you like me now?" Christmas said after he shot him, according to the affidavit. The killing was witnessed by Wilkins' children - ages 9, 12 and 14. Christmas, who got back on his bicycle afterward and rode home, was arrested without incident there by State Police. "I'm the one who did it, I shot the guy," Christmas told the trooper who arrested him, according to a police affidavit released Monday. The pistol used to shoot Wilkins was found in the master bedroom of Christmas's home, according to the affidavit. Court documents said Christmas and Wilkins - who married sisters - never got along. Interviewed by police, Christmas admitted sexually molesting his own daughter, now 22, when she was between 8 and 13, according to the affidavit, although he is not charged with that. The Associated Press does not identify victims of sexual assault. Christmas' daughter's baby girl lives with Christmas and his wife, Tina. On Saturday, Christmas saw his daughter at a street party and she told him she planned to take the baby back. "Christmas felt that his daughter was going to talk about the previous molestation," said an affidavit signed by Vermont State Police Detective Reg Trayah. "Christmas, believing his life was going to be turned upside down, decided he was going to kill the person who was his biggest pain." Christmas told another investigator that he had molested one of Wilkins' children, and that that also prompted him to shoot Wilkins. While investigating the shooting, police spoke with a 12-year-old daughter of Wilkins who said she had been molested by Christmas more than 30 times. A 9-year-old boy, identified in court documents by his initials only, told police Christmas had sexually molested him on three separate occasions while Christmas was baby-sitting him at Christmas' home.