[SilasX]

Okay, that would demonstrate that we should place little weight on expressions of empathy, but I disagree if the implication is supposed to be that it's evidence of psychopathy.

Remember, genuinely remorseful people would say the same things to their victims. If you're going to take genuine-looking apologies as evidence for the psychopath diagnosis, then you're falling into the trap of "If she prays at the execution, that confirms she's a witch. If she doesn't pray, that confirms she's a witch."

The relevant evidence in the above link is the journal, not the apology.

[yread]

I wasn't accusing or executing him -- just pointing out this other case I've read about (linked from HN, I think) where the psychopath faked emotions. I'm not even saying this boy faked them. Just that the fact that he broke down doesn't have to mean much.