Compliance With Richard Totaling Against Ferdy Sambo, Judging From Stanley Milgram's Psychological Theory

Richard totaling the reconstruction process of Brigadier J's murder at Ferdy Sambo's official residence, Duren Tiga, South Jakarta on August 30, 2022. (Doc. Police)

JAKARTA - Stanley Milgram's theory, according to Reza Indragiri Amriel, could provide an overview to better understand the behavior of the defendant Richard total in the murder case of Brigadier J (Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat), especially regarding the cause of his shooting Yosua.

Stanley Milgram is a professor of psychology from Yale University, United States. A few decades ago, Milgram conducted research on compliance. He wanted to know the extent of a person's compliance when he received orders to commit evil acts against others.

Prior to research, said Reza, Milgram first conducted a survey of dozens of professionals. The question is one: "O brothers, if you are asked or ordered to do something bad, will you obey, approve or oppose?"

As it turned out, the results were different from the reality at that time. They are very confident of being able to reject malicious orders, commands that might hurt or harm others. Based on this discrepancy, Milgram then conducted research.

There are several elements that Milgram found. It is very important for us to observe and perhaps I emphasize, maybe it can help the assembly in understanding how far Milgram's findings are relevant in the interaction situation between Richard and Ferdy Sambo," he said.

Reza Indragiri Amriel is an expert witness presented by the defendant Richard totaling in the follow-up trial of the South Jakarta District Court murder case on December 26, 2022. He is a member of the Center for the Correctional Assessment of Immigration Polytechnics at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights as well as a forensic psychologist.

The first finding from Milgram's research, said Reza, is that one's compliance with evil acts is determined by who gives the instructions. Whether the figure has the authority or not.

Second, a person's compliance with orders or instructions is also determined by what clothing the order giver wears.

Under certain conditions, the order giver wore a white research costume, but in other situations only wore a white costume. It turned out that there was a difference in compliance level. The subject of research has a higher level of compliance when the order giver wears a costume as a researcher," said Reza.

Third, a person's compliance is also influenced by the place when the order is given. If an order is given in an authoritative environment, the level of compliance will also be higher.

Fourth, the level of a person's compliance with orders will be higher if the order is given in a face-to-face manner in one room.

Fifth, related to the verbal delivery of the order giver to the recipient of the order.

The conclusion of these findings breaks the initial assumption. Several professionals in the survey we assume they are intelligent, mature, have high flying hours in their respective fields. However, when brought into experimental research, it turns out that the conclusion is different," Reza explained.

Milgram's research results have been applied to many cases, including in law enforcement cases. Humans are vulnerable to receiving orders, including wrong orders.

"No matter how many organizations have made provisions and regulations that personnel should not follow the wrong orders, but the research shows that the fragility of humans to carry out the wrong orders even though it is actually very high," added Reza.

During the trial last November 30, Richard claimed to have received orders from Ferdy Sambo to shoot Yosua while at Jl. Saguling's house on July 8, 2022. To be precise, shortly after arriving from Magelang.

According to Richard, Ferdy Sambo was angry that Yosua had insulted him.

Indeed rude. Disappreciating me, he has insulted my dignity. He spoke with emotion, crying, his face was red. Indeed, the child must be given the death," said Richard imitating Ferdy Sambo's words.

Then, Ferdy Sambo ordered him, "You will shoot Joshua, yes, because if you shoot, I will take care of you. If I shoot, no one will guard us."

Richard has no power to refuse, I am afraid. This is a two-star general, serving as the Head of the Propam Division and my position is only Bharada's rank, the lowest rank of the police. From that rank alone we can see it like heaven and earth."

Ferdy Sambo continues to convince Richard everything will remain safe.

"So Chad's scenario is in Duren Tiga, we call it 46, I was harassed by Yosua, then I shouted, you heard, you responded, then caught. Yosua shot you, you shot back. The dead Joshua, Richard again imitated Sambo's words.

"You've been calm, you're safe because you're defending your first mother, the second you defend yourself, because you were shot first," added Richard while explaining Putri Candrawathi's position next to Ferdy Sambo.