As Seen On Television?

  The debut of Lifetime flick The Craiglist Killer has lit up the interwebs, with millions of folks planning on tuning in this evening. Naturally, the Lifetime website features a trailer and teaser, telling of a mysterious life led by a medical student. While Philip Markoff and his girlfriend are mentioned by name, the women he attacked are not.

  The film is told from the viewpoint of Markoff's fiance, and thusly the crimes themselves are not detailed. It lionizes Markoff and makes one pity the poor fiancee. While I'm sure it is traumatic to discover you are to be wed to a monster, Megan will have other fish in the proverbial sea.

  The name of the woman Phillip Markoff killed is Julissa Brisman. She was a 25 year old masseuse and bit-part actress who was partially supporting her mother and younger sister. She had a family and friends who will never see her again. She's dead through no fault of her own. A real human being who fought for her life but still perished because of a narcissistic coward's deeds.

  Julissa Brisman is the victim, not Megan, not Markoff. Phillip Markoff was a self-involved chickenshit who killed himself because he was afraid of being held accountable for his actions. We, as a society, need to stop blaming victims by idolizing the worst elements among us.