Do you think Gary should plead guilty in court?

[Anna Bookowski]

I think Gary should plead guilty in court. Despite being innocent, if his defense is accepted, then that gives killers a platform to murder and use that defense in the future. Once that defense is accepted, people will take advantage of it.

This is a brilliant argument and a very important remark. It's easy to imagine: once the court accepts this reasoning, there will be more and more average criminals reaching for this sort of excuse, and that would be a catastrophe. It's so difficult because Gary is innocent and guilty at the same time - such a mad paradox.

[Anna Bookowski]

I think he should be pleading not guilty. Because when the murder took place he was not in a right frame of mind. If he was then the murder would not have taken place. By pleading not guilty he is leaving it to the jury to determine if he is guilty and how he should be sentenced based on how the events took place. Intention is a big part of the equation in this case.

This is a very good observation. You're right in saying that by pleading not guilty he leaves it to the jury to determine. This way at least he gets a chance to be pronounced innocent. But at the same time, if the jury decides he's innocent, it will open the gate for future criminals to use a similar way of defense, like it was noticed in the comment above. And this would be very dangerous.

[Reitumetse_R]

I agree with the lawyer, Elsie Lamp, totally. If courts took such as defense, everyone would commit any crime and claim possession. Very destructive.

[Anna Bookowski]

I agree with the lawyer, Elsie Lamp, totally. If courts took such as defense, everyone would commit any crime and claim possession. Very destructive.

Yes, this is a very strong argument without a doubt! Making this sort of exception for one person would follow with terrible consequences. This reasoning would become a common excuse. So I'm afraid this poor framed Gary would have to accept the situation and just pay for the actions of the other him...

[Gemjay]

I think Gary should not plead guilty since he doesn't remember committing the crime and he loved Mitchell. As long as he forgives himself and he feels at peace with everything then he doesn't have to plead guilty.

[Jennifer Garcia 555]

It would be very difficult to plea guilty to a crime that you do not remember doing. Even if there is proof that you did it. I think he should plea not guilty since it was a different Gary that did it. It is not fair that he should have to take the blame for something that he did not do. Even if it is impossible to prove.

[Sou Hi]

Well, let's put ourselves in his shoes and think. Will you plead guilty for a crime that you are sure you didn't consciously commit? And what motivation will Gary use if he admits he killed Michelle? I'm certain her family won't be happy if he says, "I love her very much, but out of impulse, I stab her for fun." Without concrete evidence, it's pretty sure that Gary can't win his case, so not admitting the crime is his effort to protect his dignity and his respect for Michelle.

[DTamara]

If it was me, I wouldn't last long, I would simply self-destruct. However, assuming I was stronger than that, it is very hard to say what the right thing is .. As impossible as it might be, I would try to show them what happened and convince them I did not have the intentions, even it means failing till the end of my life.. Because admitting it outright, without an explanation, will hurt the other people even more. Being considered mentally crazy in my option is better, as in at least it offers an explanation.

[Anna Bookowski]

I think Gary should not plead guilty since he doesn't remember committing the crime and he loved Mitchell. As long as he forgives himself and he feels at peace with everything then he doesn't have to plead guilty.

I wonder if one can forgive himself in a situation like that. I think that if that would be me, I would most probably mentally break down. The explanation through multiverse theory, even If true, would be just too freaky and I would have thought that I simply lost my mind. And subsequently, I would possibly start to feel guilty, even if I wouldn't remember what I did.

[Anna Bookowski]

It would be very difficult to plea guilty to a crime that you do not remember doing. Even if there is proof that you did it. I think he should plea not guilty since it was a different Gary that did it. It is not fair that he should have to take the blame for something that he did not do. Even if it is impossible to prove.

It is not fair, definitely. As long as we look from the usual point of view. But what if you think about it this way: all the Garys from all the worldlines are not separate beings, but exactly the very same person. Let's use the analogy of a particle in a superposition, and Gary is like this particle. It's the very same him in all these worlds. In one worldline he makes one decision, in another - a different one. Sort like a video game, when you make a different move every time you play it again. But, it's still the same you.

[Anna Bookowski]

Well, let's put ourselves in his shoes and think. Will you plead guilty for a crime that you are sure you didn't consciously commit? And what motivation will Gary use if he admits he killed Michelle? I'm certain her family won't be happy if he says, "I love her very much, but out of impulse, I stab her for fun." Without concrete evidence, it's pretty sure that Gary can't win his case, so not admitting the crime is his effort to protect his dignity and his respect for Michelle.

I really like how you put that : " so not admitting the crime is his effort to protect his dignity and his respect for Michelle". That's a really solid remark, and it speaks to me. It gave me a more clear view of the case. Now I think I'm more on the side of "not guilty".

[Anna Bookowski]

If it was me, I wouldn't last long, I would simply self-destruct. However, assuming I was stronger than that, it is very hard to say what the right thing is .. As impossible as it might be, I would try to show them what happened and convince them I did not have the intentions, even it means failing till the end of my life.. Because admitting it outright, without an explanation, will hurt the other people even more. Being considered mentally crazy in my option is better, as in at least it offers an explanation.

That's a beautiful and humane comment! I can definitely relate. I think I would break down emotionally. I would start thinking I'm crazy and that I lost my mind. And I'm sure I'd feel guilty even if I wouldn't remember the whole situation. This Is an absolutely heartbreaking situation. I think this is a very important factor that made this book so interesting and emotionally engaging.

[Chigo Nwagboso]

This is quite complicated and disheartening. It won't be easy, fair and possibly for him to plead guilty, when he's totally ignorant of the crime. My opinion because no matter how authentic the evidence is, I can't agree to what I know nothing about.

[Reader Chavez]

He didn't have any intentions, he didn't kill Michelle in full control of his faculties. Sure, pleading guilty will give Michelles family closure, but he never meant that to happen. I think he shouldn't plead guilty.

[Fahad Afroz]

He did commit the murder but did he actually commit the murder??
In my opinion pleading guilty won't have made anything better, and now that im thinking about it he might have pleaded guilty in another parallel universe!!