‘Face-Eating’ Defendant Avoids Jail With Insanity Plea

“Face-eating” frat boy Austin Harrouff was found not guilty by reason of insanity. The 25-year-old man stabbed two strangers to death while they were watching TV in their garage outside Jupiter, Florida. Harrouff even gnawed at the dead man's face with his teeth and stabbed a neighbor who tried to intervene. Before the murders, he was caught on camera storming out of a restaurant where he was eating with his family. He will be committed to a secure mental institution.

[JameszyYt]

The fact he started to bite and eat them is just crazy

[alexsera]

What’s frightening is that he had no drugs in his system at the time of the attack and kept eating the guy’s face while a police dog was biting his arm and a cop was kicking his face.

[internethugs]

The couple was enjoying time together with their garage open. They looked like they were finally where they wanted to be in life. My parents do that often. It makes you think of what’s out there. It’s unfathomable to think someone could murder and eat a lifeless human, let alone two. I hope they Rest In Peace.

[LuminaryNewt]

He’s not going to prison, he is however, going to possibly one of the darkest facilities out there. In a mental institution like the one stated, you’re not surrounded by fellow guilty people. You’re surrounded by legitimate insane people.
There’s only one reason to plea guilty by reason of insanity. That reason is to avoid the death penalty. Once you’re in, it’s incredibly hard to get out. I doubt they’ll be letting him out in 10 years. I even doubt he’ll be out in 20. He may have skipped prison, but he’s going somewhere much, much more horrifying.
I do think it’s fitting though. He does in fact seem insane.

Edit: No, I’m not talking about asylums. I’m aware the last asylum closed in 2008, but there’s different facilities out there. The criminally insane don’t get mixed in with regular criminals.

[mactastic]

Prosecutors make deals with rapists, and murderers. This has always been the case. Whether he’s institutionalized, or behind bars, those people lost their lives.

[AKira]

Reminds me of the case in Canada where a guy beheaded another guy and ate part of his heart… he’s completely free now after serving time in a mental institution. The world is losing its mind.

[demarcusfaulkner]

This is truly tragic prayers for the family of the victims. I can't imagine that grief condolences for your loss.

[wil]

Pleading insanity isn't a get out of jail free card. If he's not insane, he'll wish he'd just gone to a normal prison.

[BJustChillin]

American justice system is such garbage. That man should be in prison for life.

[ReadwithChimey]

The system keeps failing ordinary law abiding citizens:(. What a shame!!! Prayers to the victims and families left behind.

[techwizard]

Just shows that there’s two justice system one for the poor and one for the rich

[lillyec]

His family failed him. They knew he was becoming violent and hallucinating but refused to get him the real help he needed because of the social stigma.

[CadaverQT]

He really was crazy. The insanity plea exists for people like him. It is horrible for the victims' families, but he is actually sick.

[dawsonkozel]

Does she not know what the insanity woard does, it’s literally worse then prison, especially when your not crazy

[snootypoot]

"Storms out of a restaurant"

**calmly walks out**

[carriegracious]

I want to know what gave him that psychotic break because from what I remember from his dad's interview with Dr. Phil, he had been acting odd in the hours leading up to it but the way his dad described the day it was just a normal day.

[seeleygirl]

People don’t think evil is real, they just call it insanity now.

[dameshiaparker]

I think people don't realize being placed in a mental institution is NOT a walk in the park. Especially if you're not "insane" he's gonna get his don't worry.

[idonotexist]

The victims familys will naturally wanna see the guy swing. However, not guilty by insanity is not a get out of jail free card. He is property of the state and most likely will never be released from the psych hospital.

[cloudyx]

I hate how people use insanity as an excuse to not go to prison like he literally murderer twice innocent people and stabbed a worried man?!