Home Invasion Suspect Says Sorry
Caleb Williams, 21, broke into a home with two other people. He knew people were home when he went in. In this interview, he says he is sorry about what he did.
Do you believe him?
I think this interview will cause a split in how people see him. I suspect it will be pretty divided. What do you think? Do you think Caleb is honest or lying?
You can read the news story here.
There are definitely mixed signals coming from him. When asked if he is sorry, he fights back a smile several times. I do not believe he is truly sorry. I think he was honest about his financial motivations and not thinking of the consequences. He is genuinely upset when talking about the children, that’s the only time he seemed truly remorseful.
I see that he’s sorry for himself. I see him blaming “the cycle,” but even that is at arms length. I am thinking that there are cognitive defects going on here. He’s not stupid, but he’s got very large gaps in understanding the emotional makeup of others. I can only attribute that to lack of personal experience both within himself and in witnessing others go through things. That then does not put him in good place in my book. The other problem is that he seems to be making up what he feels on the fly. There should be zero reason to do that if you are really feeling it. I also see him looking to see if any of the excuses he gives fly with the interviewer; almost like he is looking for an acceptable answer. Too much fabricating, too much shrugging of the shoulders, too many lags from cognitive load, … and I can’t ignore the ridiculous attempt to solve/mitigate/navigate/justify the pain and loss the children are/will experience. There is something about him that reminds me of the interview with the Iceman, too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXgi72W2H7U
I don’t see him making things up on the fly…
Not things, feelings. He was not connected to all of them.
I think Caleb is truly sorry. It would be very hard to disentangle, even for Caleb, how much of the sorrow is for himself and how much is for the pain he caused. People that age don’t think things through, and I do think his background contributed to his decision to do what he did. If the burglary had gone off without a hitch, Caleb probably wouldn’t think twice about it. I would like to see him rehabilitated in some way other than prison.
I fear rehabilitation wouldn’t be successful. He is a person who doesn’t think through his actions to the consequences, and that doesn’t change easily.
Eyes, are there any indications that he isn’t likely to change? Won’t any bad feelings for what happened this time register with him?
He showed zero ability to think of the consequences of his actions. This is highly suggestive that he has a need or a want, and fantasizes how to get it. He doesn’t let reality come into play. This isn’t something that changes easily, even with consequences. He was warned by either friends or family he was going to turn out just like his dad and he never heeded the warning.
Thanks Eyes.
But don’t you think the fact that he now acknowledges the repeat of his fathers type of behaviour shows some self awareness and regret about his own actions and as a result that he might think more about consequences in future?
I hope they’ll give him some therapy in jail to try and deter him from further following his dad’s path.
I do not believe he is sorry, except for himself. When asked at the beginning of the interview, he looked like he was swallowing a smile. I rewound and watched a few times and that is what I see. It makes it hard to take anything he says after, seriously.
At the beginning of the video where he says “I’m sorry” he smirks and shakes his head “no” which actually contradicts “I’m sorry”. He’s only sorry he got caught! Why smile and shake your head no if you’re really sorry? He made a lot of funny movements with his mouth which gives me the impression he was swallowing a bitter pill about himself. Perhaps he’s telling the truth here when he talks about how he hurt people. When asked why he did it, why did he squint as if he’s having to think about it, and then raise his voice subtly at the end as if asking a question? Is he trying to convince himself he only did it to make ends meet? From what I get out of this video, just about the only thing convincing was his regret that there were children in the house. But when he says he prays every day for that man and his family, there seems to be way too much effort put into his quivering voice with no tears. And especially his comments that “all he worries about is that the man prospers” and that “he’s not worried about himself”. Please. There’s nobody who isn’t going to be worried about him or her self. His self is all he’s worried about at this point. Oh, and his biggest fear of being anything like his father and how he promised himself he’d never be like him, these words alone reveal the lie. A broken promise is a lie, whether or not it’s to one’s self makes no difference. He’s basically admitted he’s a liar.
I just wanted to share I have a very different opinion. I believe he is honest in this video and sincere. Do I feel he is a danger to society still? Yes.
He tries to conceal a smile at the beginning of the video when saying sorry. That summarizes what this video is about. He may not be making things up but he is not sorry for what he did, may be sorry for himself for getting caught.
The fact he has a positive emotion during his apology, makes the feeling and emotion completely false.
I think he is mostly sincere and that the initial smile is just nerves or something. The choking up when he remembers the children in the house seems genuine to me, probably imagining himself being those frightened children.. The part that felt false is when he’s asked why he did it and he answers with a rising inflection and narrows his eyes. I think he is sorry and means it when he says he wouldn’t do something like that again but I think he probably would do something similar once he’s forgotten how lousy guilt feels.
He reminds me of my teenage students. They smirk and smile when they are nervous and scared and being confronted by their misdeeds. I think that he’s telling the truth in this video. However, he seems to have very poor decision making.
I completely agree.
He isn’t fully honest
he wasnt completely honest
People are interpreting his smile as dishonesty and lack of remorse but I think it’s a sign of regret rather than a smirk. For reasons I truly don’t understand I’ve smiled myself when I’ve regretted something and it definitely wasn’t because I was pleased or smirking. Discomfort and regret can manifest in all sorts of strange ways.
He looks at the right a lot of times, and that happens when you are actually remembering something. And when he goes back in the time, he pushes his lips against each other, showing remorse. Putting your hand over your face, letting the second finger free, is a clear sign of remorse. But I could be wrong.
These are my opinions watching it at one quarter speed:
Deception–hand over mouth–(:01-:02)
Contempt (:02-:03)
An inability to contain his smile, maybe even pride (:04-:05)
A conflicting combination of ecstasy and disbelief [because it didn’t transpire the way he had originally ‘planned’] as he reflects on his crime (:08-:10)
Sadness turning to shame turning to regret (:11-:20)
Resignation–as he comprehends his predicament (:21-:22)
Pain (:23-:24)
That’s all I can do.
He is saying what he thinks he needs to say. He may be sorry but he has rehearsed this so much it’s hard to tell. He’s not stupid, he’s looking for sympathy. He may truly feel remorse but he’s more concerned about himself than he is his victims. He figures what’s done is done, nothing I can do about that…now how can I save myself.
Late to the EFL in general, not as much to this…I definitely believe he regrets being caught, but his remorse is sincere (-gret /= -morse). His life circumstances are desperately stressing: He could, arguably, only operate on compulsion and was scheduled, if you will, to fail. Combined with his age and the likelihood that a learning difference/personality disorder /brain chemistry imb NOS are already on board…scheduled to fail. One down, and probably a lifetime of repetition to come. Sad.