Alzheimer’s is a terrible thing. My father-in-law lost the battle with Alzheimer’s and we cared for him for almost two years. It can be devastating. You might have seen in the news where a guy checked his wife out of a memory care facility for the day. He took her around back and shot her, killing her instantly. Married for forty years, she no longer recognized him. That guy was Master Sergeant Stephen Kruspe. He was the Operations Chief when I was the Commanding Officer of 4th ANGLICO. Top Kruspe was a very professional Marine – the kind of Marine you would want in your foxhole in a firefight. He has an attorney who will try to get the charge reduced from first degree murder. And though the attorney does not expect to get paid, the expert witnesses he will need to call to testify on Top Kruspe’s behalf will. If you want to help, send a check payable to “Attorney Jonathan Kaplan” and mail it to me at 5460 Old Mystic Court, Jupiter FL 33458-3470. When I get a pile of checks, I’ll send them together to the attorney. Marines always say “Marines take care of their own.” Let’s take care of Top Kruspe. Col Paul Loschiavo USMCR (Ret), former SALT Officer, 2nd ANGLICO, and former Commanding Officer, 4th ANGLICO.
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Col Loschiavo, I don’t know if I’m more appalled at your request or at the Sgt Grit Newsletter for allowing it to be posted on this site. I can’t believe your audacity to ask people to support the criminal defense of a cold-blooded murderer. MSgt Stephen Kruspe may have been “a very professional Marine” to you, but I seriously doubt that I would want him in my foxhole in a firefight. If I were wounded, I’d be afraid that he would want to put me out of my misery just to satisfy his sadistic ego. Both my mother and father-in-law suffered alzheimer’s disease in the last stages of their lives, but never once did I, or anyone else, consider taking their lives just to avoid the inconvenience of providing loving and compassionate care. Often I would think that my mother was having a very good, lucid day when suddenly she would ask, “Now who are you again?” I would never think of killing her for that. Do you want to know why I wouldn’t think of killing her? Because when I was a baby she never once thought of killing me because I shit my diaper. She would just change it, give me a hug and a kiss and life would go on. Col you need to re-exam your definition of compassion, and let the law handle murderers. “Marines take care of their own” does have certain limitations.
I agree!! I to have experienced the effects of Alzheimers. I also agree with you about the post on this newsletter. To allow that and,the political statements lately does bother me! Harry
I don’t think murder is the answer even if it was done as an act of mercy…however, I don’t think this former Marine should have to do life in prison either…yes he is guilty and should do about 10 or so years to think about what he did. But not spend forever in some rotten prison with his track record of being a man who gave so much for so little…. There are mitigating circumstances involved here. They should be considered. Former Marine Corp combat vet Vietnam Ripley’s Raiders 1967-1968
You are exactly right with your comment Top. What he did was so wrong in so many ways. I can see the compassion the Col. is trying to express, but in the wrong direction. 1960-1964 Semper-Fi.
Simply, I could not even consider doing that to my wife! She’s been too good to me all these years, but I can’t judge the “Top” for what he did. He must have loved her a lot to keep her from turning into a vegetable.
There is a former Marine who is now in San Quentin state prison for 2nd degree murder. He is going on 31 years for this crime….no other crimes committed just this one…he was drunk and killed a women. Normally a man does about 12 to 15 years for 2nd degree murder. Can anyone help this Marine to get out of prison? He has done his time. His rights have been trampled all over too, at the parole board hearings. Semper Fidelis!Ron Brandon USMC 1965-1971 Inmates name is: Bernard Werner
Wow. Compassionate murder in one case and getting drunk and killing a woman in another. Murder is murder and no one has the right to set themselves up as God and kill someone else. To me, the Master Sergeant threw away the title he earned of Marine. The article doesn’t say it was a compassionate killing but that’s what we’re all assuming since they were married for 40 years. Maybe it was for merciful reasons and maybe not, only the former Marine and God know that. If he really loved her, wouldn’t it be more compassionate to care for her? The second case is a 2nd degree murder. It doesn’t say whether this was pled down to or even how he killed her. Another former Marine who threw away that title. I, like most younger Marines (at least in my day) got drunk quite a few times (OK, every weekend). But I never came close to killing a woman. I once came back from a 6 month deployment and found out my girlfriend had been cheating on me. Instead of killing her I just walked away. She came by my apartment once about 3 months later and begged me to take her back but that trust was destroyed so there was no way it was happening. I just can’t, in good faith, support anyone who takes someone’s life when the use of deadly force isn’t authorized. To me, Semper Fidelis means Always Faithful to not only God, Country and Corps but to the beliefs instilled in us in boot camp. Those dead women had all their rights taken away by these men. The least they deserve is the loss of those rights also.
Yup. You guys got it right. My mom went through the whole dementia thing for the last 11 years of her life to the point she didn’t even come close to knowing who I was or where she was. One of the many things the Corps instilled in me was patience and mental discipline. Never entered my mind to do what the Master Sergeant did. Just a suggestion for you guys who may have to deal with this in a loved one. Skip being pissed, the shouting, the bitching and move right into being patient, answer the same question when it gets asked over and over and over again. And, believe or not, there is some humor in it all. Keep your eye open for it, it’s there. Semper Fi, bob
Not one of you know all the circumstances in this matter yet you have already judged MSgt Kruspe. Last i checked, we all took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. many of us also fought to defend it and all Americans. Articles 5, 6 & 14 of The Bill of Rights address different aspects of civil rights. The 6th Amendment of the Constitution is present in all trials or court cases in America and guarantees an individual the right to a fair, speedy, and public trial. It also enables an individual to have legal assistance, regardless of the charge, and the right to confront adverse witnesses and notice of accusations. These rights are given to all men or women under trial for any sort of wrongdoing. They establish the “innocent until proven guilty” mantra that is present in the United States legal system. Ei incumbit probatio qui dicit, non qui negat (the burden of proof is on the one who declares, not on one who denies), is the principle that one is considered innocent unless proven guilty.
I think it should be left up to the courts, It might have been done out of compassion of love after all these years married.and did not want to see her suffer anymore,, Or was it done out of being depressed or inconvenience? It is true, no one has the rite to take an others life , unless it’s in combat.. No one knows except the M, SGT. He should not be convicted before he has his trail. Just my thoughts ..
Semper-FI to all..