Teens sentenced to life w/o parole

[DaveBj]

Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.

Criminals who are genuinely rehabilitated can be brought to a future governor’s attention for commutation of the sentence.

 

[vern_humphrey]

As Dr. LeBlanc used to say, “You can’t rehabilitate someone who was hever habilitated to begin with.”

 

[mysitar]

I live near Pittsburgh, and in one of the towns nearby, a 15 year old boy robbed and beat an 86 year old woman to death, without an apparent motvie. They’re just starting his trials, but I don’t think there’s much hope for him.

Personally, I think this is a sick crime. To me, beating a child or an elderly person is one of the worst crimes you can commit, and it’s even worse when the victim is killed (the only crimes that I think are worse are rape and murder). I’m not sure where my opinion lies with punishment, though to these offenses. Definatley put them into jail for a long time, though.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Al_Masetti]

Let’s leave the notion of punishment out of the discussion for the moment; but let us discuss the idea of how on earth can we protect innocent people from someone like this … someone who has demonstrated and carried out such extremely violent acts.

The only way the public can be protected is to securely separate the perpetrators from society. In the case of crimes that are so heinous, the time period of locking away tends to be very long.

 

[Newbie2]

Let’s leave the notion of punishment out of the discussion for the moment; but let us discuss the idea of how on earth can we protect innocent people from someone like this … someone who has demonstrated and carried out such extremely violent acts.

The only way the public can be protected is to securely separate the perpetrators from society. In the case of crimes that are so heinous, the time period of locking away tends to be very long.

That’s kind of a no-brainer, eh? Unless like a previous poster one advocated capital punishment as an alternative.

 

[Newbie2]

If you meet a man who flies an airplane, you know he’s a pilot – because that’s what pilots do.

If you meet someone who commits a crime like this, you know he’s a sociopath – because that’s what sociopaths do.

Too simplistic, vern. Not every criminal is a sociopath, even those who have murdered.

We knew a family that used to live next to a kid who, at the age of 5 or 6, would go after their son with an ax, and made numerous attempts to do serious harm or kill their kid. Fortunately, their son wasn’t injured, but I wonder what ever happened to the other kid; there is an example of a true sociopath. Hopefully they got him successful treatment.

 

[vern_humphrey]

Too simplistic, vern. Not every criminal is a sociopath, even those who have murdered.

But this criminal is, and has been so adjudicated.

We knew a family that used to live next to a kid who, at the age of 5 or 6, would go after their son with an ax, and made numerous attempts to do serious harm or kill their kid. Fortunately, their son wasn’t injured, but I wonder what ever happened to the other kid; there is an example of a true sociopath. Hopefully they got him successful treatment.

And you diagnosed this case, how?

 

[TOP]

Too simplistic, vern. Not every criminal is a sociopath, even those who have murdered.

We knew a family that used to live next to a kid who, at the age of 5 or 6, would go after their son with an ax, and made numerous attempts to do serious harm or kill their kid. Fortunately, their son wasn’t injured, but I wonder what ever happened to the other kid; there is an example of a true sociopath. Hopefully they got him successful treatment.

And by definition, not every sociopath is a criminal.

 

[bilop]

And by definition, not every sociopath is a criminal.

But if a sociopath is violent, then they are not rehabilitatables. They have no conscience. they don’t consider other people. If they think they can get away with a crime, they will do it.

Innocent people MUST be protected from these predators, either by execution or life without parole.

If, by some miracle, they repent, then they can look forward to the next world. They have forfeited their chance in this one.

God Bless

 

[TOP]

But if a sociopath is violent, then they are not rehabilitatables. They have no conscience. they don’t consider other people. If they think they can get away with a crime, they will do it.

Innocent people MUST be protected from these predators, either by execution or life without parole.

If, by some miracle, they repent, then they can look forward to the next world. They have forfeited their chance in this one.

God Bless

But IF a socipath is violent. I’m not defending violent sociopaths. Lock them up. That is not my concern. Why does a simple definition mean the same thing as “let them go” to you people.

 

[OneAugustKnight]

1. I am fairly sure one life sentence = 20 years.
2. The people on the jury and the judge probably aren’t inclined toward incarcerating a teenager for a very long time and are most likely doing their best to administer justice. I have faith in a jury in a general sense.
3. Nobody is being thrown away just because they can’t participate in normal society, even if it is for the rest of his/her life.
   They are still alive, so we can still hope for their conversion, and we can visit them and try to help them get closer to God.

 

[Al_Masetti]

That’s kind of a no-brainer, eh? Unless like a previous poster one advocated capital punishment as an alternative.

Previous threads that discussed capital punishment have, in fact, justified it on the basis that some prisoners who are incarcerated for life nevertheless continue to commit murder while in prison. Guards, visitors, other prisoners, and people on the outside have been killed. It is not permitted to keep someone locked up and isolated 24/7 (which has been suggested by some).

If a lifer continues to kill from behind bars, then the only legally permitted recourse, with due process, is execution.

 

[tigster]

I had a cousin , who killed a young mother. He was 25, and she was 23, and this young man was very evil all through growing up. He molsted me several times as i was a young child. So my point is after he killed this young women he got life in prison. Well many yrs later he hung himself and he is dead. I feel like he took the easy way out.

 

[Newbie2]

Previous threads that discussed capital punishment have, in fact, justified it on the basis that some prisoners who are incarcerated for life nevertheless continue to commit murder while in prison. Guards, visitors, other prisoners, and people on the outside have been killed. It is not permitted to keep someone locked up and isolated 24/7 (which has been suggested by some).

If a lifer continues to kill from behind bars, then the only legally permitted recourse, with due process, is execution.

Yes, of course, and I agree in those circumstances that it should be considered. I was referring to a previous post that eluded to capital punishment as equal to incarceration as a solution. Perhaps that wasn’t the poster’s intent, but it read that way to me.

I didn’t make it clear , that was what I was responding to.

I’ve seen television programs where such lifers are locked down 23/7; that must be pretty tough to go through, not that they don’t derserve it.

 

[Al_Masetti]

Yes, of course, and I agree in those circumstances that it should be considered. I was referring to a previous post that eluded to capital punishment as equal to incarceration as a solution. Perhaps that wasn’t the poster’s intent, but it read that way to me.

I didn’t make it clear , that was what I was responding to.

I’ve seen television programs where such lifers are locked down 23/7; that must be pretty tough to go through, not that they don’t derserve it.

For some prisoners, 23/7 isn’t a good idea, because during that one hour of “recreation” and while they are being escorted to the recreation yard, and during their communications with visitors, they do horrible damage. [Please, keep in mind, I am referring to prisoners who have demonstrated that they are continuing to commit murder while imprisoned.]

 

[Trader]

From the Fort Wayne News Sentinel, 2/25/2000:

James “Jim” M. Didier, 69, of Fort Wayne, owner of Didier Meats, died Thursday, Feb. 24, 2000."Devoted family man, father and friend."The Fort Wayne native was a eucharistic minister at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church for 25 years and loved to read and watch documentaries.

---

Jim was the brother of my friends. He was murdered during an armed robbery at his store by a 14 year old. Because Indiana law gives two days credit for every day of good behavior, his 30 year sentence for felony murder will be complete before he reaches 30. The kid had a terrible home life–no doubt about that, but he is not likely to be any better after 15 years in prison. Does anyone here want to offer him a home in your community?

Personally, I think the ordinary sentence for murder should be (name removed by moderator)risonment for as long as the victim stays dead. Hopefully he will experience a conversion and spend the rest of his life praying for us in prison. To release someone who has fallen so low as to deliberately take a life is too great a risk for my family.

 

[Newbie2]

I sorta see how you can feel that way.

Problem is, there’s only so much room to put them away…and in cash-strapped states like Michigan here, and I’m sure others, the legislators are talking about more early releases.

No doubt the clever criminals know this, and some are willing to risk a much reduced (name removed by moderator)risonment for a “lessor” crime, while the ever-diminishing space for the murderers and what not is being reduced.

 

[Trader]

Just when you thought you had seen everthing:

journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071002/LOCAL03/710020352

Simon Rios was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without parole for the murders of his wife and three daughters.

Why did he do this?

He was depressed.

Why was he depressed?

Five days before slaughtering his family, he had kidnapped, raped, and murdered a 12 year old neighbor girl on the way to school. He felt bad about that. He had already been sentenced to life without parole plus 60 years for that.

Veteran prosecutor Karen Richards was reduced to taunting him. She told him he would never see his daughters again. They were in heaven and he would be going to hell.

Ms Richards had a serious problem on her hands. Indiana still has a death penalty on the books, and it is supported by a majority of the people who elected her prosecutor… If these crimes don’t add up to a death sentence, what does? How can she ever seek a death sentence for someone who only murders one or two children?

 

[DaveBj]

snip

Personally, I think the ordinary sentence for murder should be (name removed by moderator)risonment for as long as the victim stays dead. Hopefully he will experience a conversion and spend the rest of his life praying for us in prison. To release someone who has fallen so low as to deliberately take a life is too great a risk for my family.

How about it gets put into the contract if a state official signs off on the release of a convicted killer (or rapist, or…fill in the blank with your favorite violent criminal), and that killer kills again, the official would forfeit his/her own life (or at least lose his liberty)?

Yeah, sure, not gonna happen, not in this space-time continuum, but it’s something to daydream about. I don’t think we’d see nearly as many criminals released before the ends of their sentences.

Just a thought…

 

[Trader]

How about it gets put into the contract if a state official signs off on the release of a convicted killer (or rapist, or…fill in the blank with your favorite violent criminal), and that killer kills again, the official would forfeit his/her own life (or at least lose his liberty)?

Yeah, sure, not gonna happen, not in this space-time continuum, but it’s something to daydream about. I don’t think we’d see nearly as many criminals released before the ends of their sentences.

Just a thought…

No, it won’t happen–and for good reason. It would equate an error in judgement with a deliberate act that results in the death of a human being.

Maybe you have been confused by criminals, attorneys, and paid for “psychological experts” who refer to even the most serious crimes as “a mistake”. Locking my keys in the car is a mistake. Slaughtering my family because I was depressed over guilt from a previous murder would be a different classification.

Public officials have huge responsibilites and are immune from being sued for their mistakes. Without that immunity no one would take the job.

The judge (judgette) who presided at my divorce was fired for nonfeasance. That is all that could be done to her. It didn’t do a thing for me; it just made sure she could not harm anyone else in the future. I am pretty sure if I, as a private citizen, failed to perform a required duty that cost some judge $100,000, there would have been a different outcome. Calling our legal system a realization of the constitutional mandate to “establish justice” is pretty naive.