Yeah, I got that. I still think it’s ridiculous, considering the circumstances of the case.
It would be like saying, oh that guy who date-raped that chick because she said no after they made out all night … as rapists go, he isn’t that bad.
A better way to say it is there is more hope for rehabiliatation rather than “he isn’t that bad.”
The date -raper you describe isn’t as bad as the guy who stalks strangers and breaks in their houses and rapes them.
I’d be willing to entertain a lesser sentence along with intensive counseling for the date-raper, whose passions (that the victim encouraged) then got out of hand, compared to the guy who is far more cold in his calculations toward women.
For the other rapist, I’m more inclined to life sentences in maximum security.
The first guy needs to learn a serious lesson. The second is beyond hope.
Pretty much, Jack Batty, you’re arguing that there shouldn’t be recognition of mitigating factors.
You should know better than to think you have all the facts based on news reports.
All factors should be considered including the fact that this was basically an execution style murder - double-tap to the back of the dome. I can see no circumstance in this case that mitigates that.
He wasn’t just annoyed by King. He was teased and bullied by the other students as well. I think you underestimate the psychological damage that that causes a person. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to shoot and kill my bullies in middle school. I don’t find it strange in the least that someone who followed the system and found no relief would take matters into his own hands.
It’s what humans do.
Earlier I premised my argument on the presumption that the news articles are accurate. I concede that it could all be fiction as far as I know.
That’s a compelling aggravating factor. The fact that no-one would enforce his rights to be free of King’s behavior, and even purposely made light of his rights compared to gay rights, is extremely mitigating.
Or maybe you are saying if an aggravating factor exists, we shouldn’t also look at the mitigating factor?
What’s ironic here is that the victim was also apparently a target of bullying.
Normally I am in favor of separate jurisdiction for juveniles.
But in this case, the kind of crime in question. I just don’t have the feeling that it’s unjust to put this murderer away for 25 years. Maybe I’d feel different if he had killed the actual bullies instead of just a guy who said he had a crush on him.
Did you not read the detailed article cited above?
King did more than just say he liked him - he refused to leave him alone.
I repeat. There is no circumstance that mitigates an execution like this. I’ve looked at the mitigating factor; I’m discounting it.
Bolding mine.
But you didn’t. That’s not a negligible difference between you and the boy in question.
Yeah, I read it. It doesn’t change my view. The kid shot him twice in the back of the head at point blank range. 25 years seem pretty fair.
Don’t you agree that McInerney would be more culpable if the facts were he sought out gays in order to harrass gays, and the school had told him to stop, and then he executed King?
It doesn’t make a difference what the crime is. Are you going to lock up a six-year old if he did a really bad thing? A three-year old?
The reason fourteen-year olds can’t drive, can’t drink, can’t smoke, can’t vote etc. is that they have impaired decision making abilities. If we recognize they can’t make good decisions, why punish them for what they’re incapable of?
I am literally not the same person I was when I was 14. Neither are you (I hope). When this boy is 30, do you think he’ll be the same person as the kid who killed his classmate?
Keeping him in prison until he’s 39 is a pointless waste of a life and of state resources that would have been better used elsewhere.
“A little counseling” isn’t what’s being discussed, really. I think he should get intensive counseling until he’s 21, while in a juvenile prison environment.
When we’ve got a 3-year-old or a 6-year-old who is committing premeditated murder and shooting people in the head, I’m willing to discuss that. I think 14 is old enough to be held accountable for this act.
Call me kooky, but if it ends either way with execution, *how *culpable he is don’t enter into it.
Does it have to be a shooting? In the head? Does it have to be premeditated?
Why?
Child Shoots Another Child on Playground in Hillcrest Heights
Which again seems to lead to the conclusion that you do not believe mitigating factors should be recognized.
How about Jews in a Nazi concentration camp executing the commandant in order to escape oppression? Why does their lesser culpability matter?