Today's Los Angeles Times reports on the findings of the Sports Legacy Institute's examination of Chris Benoit's brain. It includes public statements by WWE regarding the findings (essentially dismissing them). It also includes a quote from an attorney for Benoit's wife, Nancy, who said a history of concussions or steroid use "wouldn't excuse his conduct."

That is contrast to Michael Benoit, who has found solace in learning that his son was suffering from severe brain damage and wasn't acting under his complete faculties at the time of the murder-murder-suicide.

LA Times story excerpt: "Professional wrestler Chris Benoit, who routinely slammed opponents with diving head-butts and also weathered strikes to the head with chairs during his World Wrestling Entertainment performances, suffered head trauma that doctors who studied his brain said could have contributed to his suicide and the killings of his wife and young son in June."

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KELLER ANALYSIS: This is a touchy subject - whether Chris Benoit is less culpable for what he did because of the Sports Legacy Institute's findings. I think he is culpable, but not off the hook by any means. The effects of brain injury are severe, and a combination of depression, rage, confusion, despondence, combined with the effects of a reliance on prescription medications and the known side effects of steroids (be it a shorter fuse and impulse control when using, or the depression that often follows a decrease in usage) creates a combustible combination of factors. Does that excuse what Chris did from a moral or legal standpoint? That's for each person to judge themselves or a court of law. I believe it's part of a picture that is by no means simple or black and white. What drove Benoit to such heinous actions appears to me to be a combination of many factors that we'll never fully understand; but the fact that we'll never fully understand or know for sure what factors most influenced his actions doesn't mean we shouldn't try to get as close to an answer as possible and take action to prevent anything similar from happening, or even a much lesser version of it in the form of depression, despondence, or domestic abuse.

Another thought on WWE's statements. Jerry McDevitt often said "science" was what should be utilized to find out what happened with Chris, not "speculation" and "conjecture." Here we have science - proof of a badly damaged brain, sceientifically connected to concussions which scientifically are caused by head trauma of which happens in wrestling matches, such as chairshots and high-flying, high-impact moves. Now that "science" appears to be being discounted as a sad father looking anywhere for answers.

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