# Police: Teens killed man -- just because **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717 "2013-08-20T15:04:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/121 "2013-08-22T14:14:00Z")
Tangential note: Even so, I still find it hard to believe that it’s easier for kids to get guns than cigs, booze, or porn. Especially since the latter items are legal for any adults to buy and available about everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/122 "2013-08-22T14:15:47Z")
Probably depends on just where the kids are. So Cal vs rural Ok, there’s going to be different sins available. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/123 "2013-08-22T14:15:58Z")
I wouldn’t say either of the examples above prove that it’s easier to get a gun than cigarettes or booze. I’d even venture a guess that someone who is motivated to buy a gun probably has no problem shoplifting booze or cigarettes. It does show that it’s not hard to get a gun, though. StG ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/124 "2013-08-22T14:25:08Z")
> [@aNewLeaf](#): > > Probably depends on just where the kids are. So Cal vs rural Ok, there’s going to be different sins available. The man who identified the boys, a Mr. Johnson, claims that there were gang members from an unidentified city recruiting in that area. He says that his son’s life was threatened if he didn’t join the gang and he has sent that child away to a safe place. So that’s probably where the guns came from. I can give a source but it’s difficult for me to see and type in the long strings of http. If he is correct in the information that has come out in the last couple of days it appears to be a gang-related issue. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/125 "2013-08-22T14:33:42Z")
Unfortunately, race may in fact be relevant. From [this site](http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/chilling-911-call-details-final-moments-of-melbourne-baseballer-chris-lane8217s-life/story-fnii5smq-1226700172461): > [@](#): > > Edwards, who has been charged with first-degree murder, posted racist tweets saying he hated white people in the months before the shooting. > > Edwards posted statements on his Twitter feed including a comment on April 29 where he tweeted “90% of white ppl are nasty. #HATE THEM”. > > Edwards also weighed when George Zimmerman was acquitted over the death of Trayvon Martin. > > “Ayeee I knocced out 5 woods since Zimmerman court!🙂 lol sh_t ima keep sleepin sh_t! #ayeeee.” > > “Woods” is derogatory slang for white people. The feed also contains tweets glorifying violence, guns and gangs. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/126 "2013-08-22T14:47:55Z")
That’s the site I was paraphrasing. Thanks, **Xema.** There’s a certain amount of, perhaps wishful, naivete in thinking that if some of the suspects were Black and one was White that no race issues were involved. Race isn’t about the color of your skin. Maybe the White kid had something to prove. I’d rather just write it off to potentially good kids gone bad. At the bottom line that’s what it is. But we do have that hate crime law on the books. So how will this be handled? ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/127 "2013-08-22T16:30:37Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Perhaps we need to work on that. :dubious: How? Possession and sale of these guns is already illegal. Stop-and-frisk everyone? Might work. Not constitutional. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/128 "2013-08-22T16:43:19Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > How? > > Possession and sale of these guns is already illegal. > > Stop-and-frisk everyone? Might work. Not constitutional. If I knew how, I’d run for President. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/129 "2013-08-22T17:10:10Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > He went black? You win. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/130 "2013-08-22T17:46:42Z")
> [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > That’s the site I was paraphrasing. Thanks, **Xema.** > > There’s a certain amount of, perhaps wishful, naivete in thinking that if some of the suspects were Black and one was White that no race issues were involved. Race isn’t about the color of your skin. Maybe the White kid had something to prove. > > I’d rather just write it off to potentially good kids gone bad. At the bottom line that’s what it is. > > But we do have that hate crime law on the books. So how will this be handled? _ **I’d rather just write it off to potentially good kids gone bad. At the bottom line that’s what it is.** _ I’m pretty sure, based on preliminary information, that Edwards is a sociopath. Maybe in infancy he had the capacity to be a good kid, but likely not even then. The other two could be weak willed followers, who got caught in the spell of a charismatic sociopath. In the same way that the Columbine killers were comprised of a sociopath, Eric Harris, and a weak-willed follower, Dylan Klebold. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/131 "2013-08-22T17:55:11Z")
> [@](#): > > **Originally Posted by Tethered Kite View Post > _But we do have that hate crime law on the books. So how will this be handled?_** As potential hate crimes are usually handled. If the evidence available fits the narrow criteria for a hate crime, the prosecutor may charge. “It seems like a hate crime because the victim was white and some of the perps weren’t” is not enough, by itself, to merit hate crime charges. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/132 "2013-08-22T21:58:58Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > “It seems like a hate crime because the victim was white and some of the perps weren’t” is not enough, by itself, to merit hate crime charges. Would Edwards’ tweets be enough? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/133 "2013-08-23T03:56:46Z")
The self anointed self appointed commentator on racial issues has declared the behavior is [frowned upon](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/21/jesse-jackson-frowns-upon-senseless-murder-austral/). ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/134 "2013-08-23T13:57:02Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > You are just as bad (maybe worse) than the criminals you rail against if you believe this. Disgusting. Really? I don’t see much support for or against the idea of making the penalties for ‘thrill’ killings, or ‘gang initiation’ killing far more draconian than it is now. anyone fancy a poll? I can say that if you take into consideration the declining crime rate, vs. the number of people incarcerated, putting people in jail seems to be correlated to the declining rate of crime. I don’t have any problem with people wanting to ruin their own personal lives by becoming an alcoholic in the gutter, or a junkie on a mattress in an abandoned factory building somewhere – their choice, and I wouldn’t make that behavior criminal until and unless they commit a criminal act…but violence against another person, particularly senseless violence, or hate crime, or …whatever…how can we not think that very extreme penalties would help curb those impulses??? ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/135 "2013-08-23T14:00:49Z")
> [@SecretaryofEvil](#): > > That’s it, you’re done. SecretaryofEvil, you’ve still got it. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/136 "2013-08-23T14:04:46Z")
> [@crucible](#): > > .but violence against another person, particularly senseless violence, or hate crime, or …whatever…how can we not think that very extreme penalties would help curb those impulses??? Because murder is not rational. If people thought about the consequences, they wouldn’t murder. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/137 "2013-08-23T14:04:46Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Um, one of the kids is white, so what does that do for the OP’s thesis. Clearly that datum must be excluded. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/138 "2013-08-23T14:10:23Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Yes, but not spree killings like this. Stuff like this is quite rare. I thought a “spree” involved a series of acts. I don’t think this was a spree, but it sounds like it was on its way. The three were caught when they appeared in the murder vehicle at the home of a likely second target, whose father says it was a gang initiation. [http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/08/23/08/40/chris-lane-murder-a-gang-initiation-claims-witness](http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2013/08/23/08/40/chris-lane-murder-a-gang-initiation-claims-witness) ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/139 "2013-08-23T14:13:19Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I think it’s so awesome you can tell which one is black, mixed and white. The white one is the one who looks white in the picture. 🙂 I think they know which of them was mixed race based on information about whose parent was whose. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2013, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717/140 "2013-08-23T14:16:54Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Really? We had these in the USA too. SE Asians, usually referring to Vietnamese escaping Vietnam. Or Cubans sailing to Miami. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/police-teens-killed-man-just-because/666717.md?page=8)