Teen Murderer Says Jail Is Too Hard, Appeals Sentence

Now THIS I agree with. Giving forced menial labor to inmates would A. Give them something to do, and thus potentially decreases the average inmate's suffering. B. Earn revinue for the prison system. C. Depending on the work done, teach them SOMETHING that they could use to put food on their tables later in life other than criminal activities they learned from other inmates. D. Decreases the number of inmates who -like- sitting in a cell all day (it seems wierd to me too) who thus have no fear of jail.

By the way, forced menial labor does not inolve electronics, in any way. It involves things such as metal presses (liscence plates) and heavy lifting/labor.

 

It would be way better to do that than just lock him in a 2x6 all day long.

 

How many teenagers do you know pounce on someone's chest with the intent of killing him, for kicks????????????

I'm sorry. This little treasure didn't snipe a piece of candy. This piece of work took a life.

Give me a freakin' break.

 

I didn't say he didn't deserve to go to prison, nor did I say that his behaviour is acceptable, but he was a child, I'm not saying his actions should be excused, not in the slightest, I just don't see the point in destroying the childs life completely because of one mistake.

 

All he needs is a cuddle and someone to say that they love him, not prison for the murder he committed, Northpointaiki; surely you can see that?

 

No no, that's not what I'm implying, there are better ways of teaching someone morals without locking them in a 2x6 for most of thier life.

 

This one mistake is only the worst possible mistakes that someone could make. I wouldn't even call it a mistake. Based upon his comments and total lack of remorse, it sounds intentional. That is not a mistake. That is an intentional act of murder.

He is just fortunate that he was a juvenile when he committed this murder. If he was an adult, he probably would have gotten the death penalty or life without parole.

 

LOL - yep, I guess I'm just missing this, McFox.

Krakjoe, you keep referring to a "mistake," "sorry," "no kid feels remorse at the first go," etc. All of which just leads me with the need to say, again, this is not cheating on a test paper, or giving Mr. Wick from science class the finger. This kid murdered for joy.

This has been brought up on the forum before - "circumstances leading to crime." While I agree, this kid's life is likely over, I would argue it was over the second he took a life for nothing. Many kids are raised in bad circumstances (I won't whine or repeat what I mentioned elsewhere on this - except to say that I was sleeping on the side of freeways as a young teen, etc.), and don't take to murder.

Personally, and perhaps my failing, I find the "circumstances" argument gratingly thin.

 

Well if only the whole world were like you, but it's not, you don't know the circumstances, your taking something he said under interrogation and using it against him, I'd like to remind you that it's not unheard of for defendants to admit to crimes they didn't commit, to give stories that aren't true, you are not to know why he said that or even if he said it, maybe at the time he didn't feel any remorse because he was overcome by fear, fear of loosing his own life to capital punishment, or to prison.

The other thing that he's quoted to have said is ""I want to be an inspirational speaker for troubled teens," he said Monday." but you seem to be ignoring that....he may be able to try and put right the wrong he commited, in prison and after two decades of the same, he won't be able to do anything, not for anyone.....

 

Let's be straight about what we are debating (as it seems to me you are changing the argument midstream).

Is it acknowledged he committed the murder, but because he is a kid, we are to be more lenient?

-or-

He may or may not have committed the murder, as, under duress, he may have admitted to a murder he didn't commit?

 

I havent changed anything, he commited the murder, and yes, he's a child so he should not have been tried as an adult in the first place.

I also don't think its fair to take a situation you know absolutely nothin about and make negative assumptions, at the end of the day hes only a kid, for whatever reason he committed a hanus crime, but leaving him sittin in a cell fo the next two decades isn't productive when by his own admission he could be out helping misfortunate children make the correct decisions.

I'm not disputing the fact he murdered someone and that was wrong, I just don't think a "let him rot" attitude is really going to achieve anything.....it's not like he's a carreer criminal who kills children......

 

There is a person dead, forever, with no chance of getting his life back, or are we forgetting this?

 

Answered that already....

 

The kid is fucking stupid. He should have said " I think about everyday what I did, and feel sorry for doing it" "I think I did it because my peers were teasing me"

I'm sure that pathetic 2 sentances could have taken years of his sentance and maybe man 3. But ....

 

Krakjoe:
First of all, if he did not commit the murder, but was bullied into his admission then his appeal should have been to get that admission thrown out, and to get a new trial without the admission being admissible. If he was appealing on that ground, I would be more inclined to sympathy towards his appeal. However that was not his appeal. His appeal was “Jail is to hard. I want to be an inspirational speaker for teens instead.”

I was not ignoring this when I formed my opinion on his case, rather, I took it heavily into account, and it makes me think, even more, that he does not feel remorse for what he did, only that he feels bad about being in jail. He has yet to accept responsibility for his act and has entered the “let’s make a deal” stage of trying to deal with the horrible fate he brought down on himself. I think he’s closer to understanding society, it’s rules, and his role in it now than when he went to jail, but I don’t think he’s there yet, nor do I think he has actually felt any genuine remorse for that other human life that he ended. Having him tell inspirational stories about how he got out of prison does not seem like it would reduce the amount of crime in the children he spoke with, only increase it, so I do not think that having him be an ‘inspirational speaker’ would be productive either.

You keep saying that you do not advocate letting him go with no jail time, but you also keep saying that you don’t want to see his life ruined. You have yet to mention (that I can see) what punishment, or action YOU think is appropriate. I would honestly like to hear this.

 

Look, I don't wanna fall out with anyone over this, and I'm sorry if it offends you that I put a little more faith in people than you do, but I do, and I don't see that prison will do this lad any more good, and I think that denying this guy parole untill his life is over will also do more harm than good, after spending 2 decades with serial killers, thieves, rapists, junkies, crack heads, heroin adicts and the rest of the scum of the earth, he'll be more of a criminal than he might have been...

There's no point arguing about it, obviosuly my opinion isn't one that many people not to mention the United States legal system share, so whatever.....

 

Krak:

Honestly, I am interested in your opinion on what should be done instead. If you have a good, working alternative, that provides for the safety of the American public, provides an incentive to others not to follow in this fellows footsteps, and raises the likelihood that this young person will eventually become a productive member of society, I would love to hear it, and would probably support a proposal to institute this kind of measure instead of the current scheme of punishment.

 

I would also just like to point out that a sentance of 22 years on a 15 year old means they will get out when they are 37, that is hardly the average life expectancy of a male in today's society.

 

Maybe he'll have life left in him, that's not the same as living, and I know he killed someone so dont' say anything like " but the other guy isn't living " we know that already, 22 years in jail will mean his life is over....

They could teach him a trade, they could teach him to give counsel as he wants, not becuse it's his idea, but it's a good idea, he could then work his trade in a controlled environment and stay in the controlled environment for some time, I realise theres a risk, but in my opinon it's no larger than letting this guy spend the rest of his youth and half of his adult life in jail, there's no way with all the bitterness he must be feelin toward that judge he's gonna come out of jail a respected member of society, he'll be scum and he'll act like it.....

Like I sed, no point arguing about it, what are you and me gonna do anyway....