Story Archive

The Devil You Say

“There’s a serious factor of curiosity and concern when the jury first sees him,” argued James G. Reardon Jr. in Hampden Superior Court in Springfield, Mass. His client, who was to be tried for murder, has numerous facial tattoos, including “666” on his forehead, as well as implants that make him look like he has horns. That, he argued, could make the jury prejudiced against him, thus denying him a fair trial. Caius Veiovis, 34, is the last of three men to be tried in the kidnap, torture, murder, and dismemberment of three men; the other two have been convicted. Reardon told the judge he had heard “urban legends” regarding what “666” means, but didn’t understand the significance of the symbology. Berkshire County District Attorney David F. Capeless said he had no intention of making an issue of the tattoos or try to “connect them to the charges” — but he did intend to introduce into evidence the “surgical illustrations” posted on Veiovis’s apartment wall. Judge C. Jeffrey Kinder was apparently not impressed with the objections to the look Veiovis chose for himself: he allowed the trial to begin as scheduled. (RC/Berkshire Eagle) ...Too bad there’s not some sort of ubiquitous network of interlinked computers where a professional could research cultural symbologies.