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Journal Gives Insights Into Accused Teen Killer's Mind

Journal Recorded Violent Images, Thoughts

POSTED: 12:47 p.m. EST March 19, 2004

The state attorney's office released pages of a journal Thursday that give insights into the mind of a 14-year-old accused of killing his classmate.

Michael Hernandez, who is accused of killing Jaime Gough (pictured, left) last month, reportedly kept the journal hidden, even from his parents.

The journal is a collection of writings and drawings, most fixated on violence and death.

Local 10's Rad Berky had a chance to see the journal pages. He said, from the very first page, Hernandez seemed to be a teenager torn, between religion and violence.

There is a detailed cross that is flanked by a crudely drawn figure tied to a table under some kind of blade. On the next page is another cross and the Nazi swastika.

The next several pages of the journal are what appear to be downloads from the Internet, the first detailing definitions of types of killers. And at the bottom of one page is scrawled "...will become a serial killer."

Hernandez is charged as an adult for Gough's murder.

Gough was stabbed to death last month in a bathroom at the Southwood Middle School.

Miami-Dade police say Hernandez signed a confession to the murder, providing all the details, but never saying why he did it.

The journal, found during a search of the Hernandez home, is missing two pages, held back by the state attorney's office. Berky learned that one page is reportedly a hit list of victims, including Jaime Gough. The other page reportedly was titled "planning" and set out how the murder would be carried out.

The journal pages that were released provide no specific clue as to motive, but seem to show a descent from where the pages are neatly scripted to some of the last pages where the writing styles are disjointed and cross-outs finally cover every word on the page.

Berky said at one point, Hernandez seems almost make a plea to himself: "stop writing now."

The journal contains more downloads from the Internet that include detailed descriptions on how to make bombs and electronic detonators.

On one page there is a list of items: "carve cross, take right eye, leave note, ... you will be a serial killer and mass murderer, stay alone, never forget God ever, have a cult and plan a mass kidnapping for new world ..."

On another page is a list including: "get ideas, keep clean, be extremely scheduled, read Bible everyday, praise worship and pray to God everyday," followed by: "learn to be a pimp."

The journal became public since it has now been turned over to the Hernandez family attorney for use in the boy's defense.

Defense attorney Richard Rosenbaum said the writings did not look like the work of an ordered mind, but he said he had no comment on the evidence itself. He also would not say if he would pursue an insanity defense or make Hernandez's mental competency an issue. Rosenbaum said he is awaiting reports from a team of doctors.

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