Jacques Robidoux, the 29-year-old son of cult leader Roland Robidoux, was convicted of first degree murder June 14th. Later, the man who starved his own infant son to death attempted to reduce that conviction to manslaughter through an appeal. His appeal was denied reports the Boston Globe. Robidoiux has begun serving his automatic life sentence.
Robidoux acted upon supposed “visions” received by the infant’s aunt, which instructed that the baby be denied food. Many say that undue influence led to this tragedy.
The child’s mother and aunt are now apparently hoping to make deals through plea bargains with prosecutors to avoid trial.
Roland Robidoux, the founder and undisputed leader of the cult remains uncharged.
Little consideration has been given to the undue influence of destructive cults historically when members commit violent crimes and especially homicides. Jacques Robidoux will likely live the remainder of his life in prison.
And when it comes to murder, cult members have often been given long sentences or condemned to death.
Larry Layton, convicted for his role in the murder of California Congressman Leo J. Ryan at Jonestown (1978), is still in prison.
Likewise, the followers of Charles Manson (1969 Manson murders) were sentenced to death, but those sentences were later commuted to life in prison when the death penalty was dropped in California.
However, former Manson family members have routinely been denied parole due to the horrific nature of their crimes. Manson follower Leslie Van Houten who has served 30 years, was denied parole for the 14th time this month.
In one historic case a cult member did receive some consideration. Patty Hearst, who was kidnapped (1974), raped and allegedly “brainwashed” by the SLA, was never the less sentenced to a prison term for crimes while inside the cult. President Jimmy Carter later commuted that sentence and Hearst was subsequently pardoned by Bill Clinton as he left office.
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