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American Morning
Interview with Kevin Leman, Child Psychologist
Aired May 13, 2002 - 07:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: On to our next story. This morning, Luke Helder, the college student accused of planting mailbox bombs in five different states, is being held without bail in Iowa. At the center of Helder's alleged trail of terror, reports of a smiley face, patterned after the symbol created by artist Harvey Bass in 1963 as part of a friendship campaign.
But Helder allegedly had different designs for it. He reportedly told at least one police officer that his aim was to plant bombs in a connect-the-dots happy face pattern across the central United States.
If so, it would not be the first time a smiley face has been used as a symbol of terror. In the 1980 film, "The Howling," a werewolf marks his crimes with a happy face. And convicted serial killer Keith Jesperson, known as the happy face killer, signed his letters of confession with a smile.
So what does Luke Helder's alleged plan say about his state of mind? It is interesting to note that Helder's demeanor in court on Friday was in sharp contrast to the Helder who was seen smiling and smirking when he was captured in Nevada last week.
Dr. Kevin Leman is a child psychologist and the author of the book, "Adolescence isn't Terminal." He joins us now from Tucson to talk about Helder's emotional state, and how parents can detect if their child is having emotional problems -- welcome back, Doctor.
KEVIN LEMAN, CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST: Good morning, Paula.
ZAHN: Let's review the demeanor of Luke Helder when he was arrested in Nevada, where he sort of, we were told by an arresting officer, kind of had a smile on his face and admitting that it was his goal to create a happy face across the country, marking where he had planted bombs. What does that tell you about his state of mind?
LEMAN: Well, it tells you, number one, he is troubled, doesn't it, for sure. How many times have you seen people who are arrested with handcuffs, and they are trying to lower their head, stay away from the camera, and here he is smirking and smiling. I even saw one account, where he was waving.
It is beginning to sink in I am sure, but I think upon close psychiatric, psychological evaluation, you are going to find a very troubled young man there. ZAHN: Let's put up on the screen what one FBI profiler had to say about Helder. He says -- quote, "He seems to have little or no appreciation for the seriousness of what he has done, like it's some game or prank."
LEMAN: Yes, you know...
ZAHN: Now, at some point, you've got to realize if he did what he admitted to doing that this was going to be taken seriously...
LEMAN: Yes, at some point.
ZAHN: ... and he was going to have to face the consequences.
LEMAN: That's right. That's exactly right, Paula. But you know, that's part of what mental illness is all about. If you notice, some of his messages were sort of urgent messages to all of us that he had such important things to share with us. And when you see that kind of a thing and you see someone magnify their importance, that's also a sign that things are not well within the child. So the whole thing about the happy face to me suggests that maybe this kid is a very passive-aggressive type personality.
I read accounts, for example, where he was always happy and never got upset about things. For every parent listening, every parent watching, please talk to your kids. I even go to the extremes, Paula, of talking about having anger meetings in families sometimes, where you just sit around and talk about what makes us angry. Kids need to be able to vent that anger in a socially appropriate way, and certainly not an anti-social way as Luke Helder did.
ZAHN: Let's talk about some of the signals that might have gone unrecognized when you look at some of the lyrics that he wrote for this grunge band that he performed in. And we'll put one of those lyrics up on the screen where he says, "Sadness is painted on the faces, on the faces of everyone but me." Once again, another reference to a happy face.
LEMAN: Yes. It really does make you wonder if this was a kid who, when he grew up, really was in touch with some of the anger that was bottled up inside of him. A lot of times you'll see people who always appear to be happy on the inside, Paula. They are very unhappy when it comes right down to it.
ZAHN: But this kid seemed to surprise everyone. He surprised his parents. We talked to his roommates. We talked to kids on campus, all of whom said that he was a polite guy, that he was a friendly guy, that he was a happy guy. And here is what one of his teachers said about him, who had him in the classroom last semester.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY BLUM-CUMMING, HELDER'S TEACHER: I had him last semester, and he was a really nice guy in class. He was very personable with me. He got along well with me, and he got along well with his other students. So it made me sick to my stomach actually. I just couldn't believe that he would do something, you know, that would hurt other people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: So, Doctor Leman, I hear what you are saying about people having passive-aggressive personalities, but I still find it stunning that no one picked up any of this unhappiness bubbling below the surface of this kid.
LEMAN: Well, I am too, but quite frankly, if you look back in this kid's life, I'll bet there were signs that were just sort of written off as, well, he is a college student. He is in late adolescence and all of that. And I...
ZAHN: Dr. Leman, I am sorry. We are going to have to cut you off. We are going to join the president as he gets ready to talk about the signing of the Farm Bill. He joins us from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington -- let's listen.
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