Yet another of the many frustrating and troubling wrinkles here. But, yes, the world knows he did it; the question is the appropriate response, and the first step is determining if he was sane when he did it and is sane now. From all I have heard he has no more chance of ever being free again than Manson does, but that nominal chance may be marginally higher if he is declared insane; I honestly do not know.

Nor do I know whether he belongs in fengsel (prison) for 21 years and forvaring (which the wife translates as "custody") for the rest of his life, or belongs in a mental institution for the rest of his life. I lean toward the former for security, because he has the sociopaths dangerous combination of great determination and intellect. On the other hand, he clearly recognizes the immorality and consequences of his actions, so is he really a sociopath? The whole case is studded with contradictions like that, which is much of what complicates the issue. Of course, if he is found sane he becomes an infamous political extremist like Gabriel Princip who may inspire others, whereas if he is fond insane he is just another dangerous but ignominious lunatic, and anyone pushing the same agenda by the same means will have their statements similarly dismissed. Honestly, it may be the best argument for the death penalty I have ever seen.


Then you have the slippery slope argument they sought to avoid by setting an absolute limit, though I agree 21 years is far too short, especially since, as I understand it, they do not allow sentences for multiple crimes to be served concurrently (else 70 counts of first degree murder would moot the whole issue.) However, trying to avoid the hypocrisy of committing a sane murderer just to keep him off the street, or the injustice of imprisoning a criminally insane man, is precisely what they seek to avoid. And again, it is not helped by the fact that Breivik seems to have feigned being suicidal and other things at one point, producing a medical judgement he is insane, then changed his mind, decided to behave sanely, and produced a medical judgement he is THAT. Stuff like that is why I worry about committing him to a mental asylum; if whether doctors judge him sane or not is entirely dependent on which diagnose he wants, I prefer him in prison where I know he will not be able to convince someone he is no longer a threat and cheerfully take his leave to go on another killing spree.

Then, of course, there is his claim that an unexploded bomb recently found at a Swedish nuclear plant was placed by his "brethren." This one is NOT easy; I do not envy that jury. I take what comfort I can in the near certainty he will never see the light of day regardless.