Teen gets branded a felon for life for robbing man of 7 cents

[Chaosblade02]

None here know that better than I. varily I say onto you . Who has given more. A rich man who gives 20 pieces of gold or a poor women who gives her last coin. To steal from the old in the fashion done is truely sad . But I believe the minors parents should also be charged. For creating such offense to GOD.

What does god have to do with this?

 

[dmcowen674]

A couple points of bullshit here despite him committing the crime.

The whole plead guilty and not waste the courts time or you get a more harsh sentence policy is way out of line with the way a properly functioning justice system would work.

The person has the right to plead not guilty and goto trial. That's the beauty of our american justice system on paper at least.

This is why conviction rates are so high everywhere. They bully people into taking pleas regardless of how mishandled the case may be. Most people don't fight charges unless it's something like murder where you're doing life regardless. On most other charges they scare people into taking the 5 years instead of 15-20 if they dare claim innocence.

Secondly is the fact that he's 15. I understand special circumstances like vicious murders and what not. But this is not the case. Sure, let him do the 2+ years in juvi at which point he'll likely have turned into a more hardened criminal. They should attempt to reform him, get him educated. Sending him to a prison is pretty much ensuring that he'll commit more offenses once he's out especially if he's also got to deal w\ the stigma of being a felon.

BUT... Then his record should be whiped like everybody else when they turn 18. They're basically double trying him for one offense since he's 15. If you commit a crime in your youth, it's gone from your record when you turn 18 if I'm not mistaken.

So basically, the court is just manipulating the rules of how law works in order to make the sentences more severe. Which is complete bullshit. Kids are kids, adults are adults.

Negative

The problem is the years that these borders are picked.

18 you are an adult but still can't purchase alcohol but you can serve in the military and die? Come on.

Need to lower the age to 15

So you get with the program by 2nd year in High school.

 

[Nemesis 1]

What does god have to do with this?

I guess it flew over your head . and this has nothing to do with the god Thor.

GOD on the other hand is the only true judge so it has much to do with him .

 

[Nemesis 1]

I assume beating up a person requires more than one hand...

Is that true if the 1 beaten is a women???

 

[Chaosblade02]

I guess it flew over your head . and this has nothing to do with the god Thor.

GOD on the other hand is the only true judge so it has much to do with him .

You can't prove to me your God is real, and that Thor isn't actually the true God.

 

[Nemesis 1]

You can't prove to me your God is real, and that Thor isn't actually the true God.

Actually I can and I will but that time hasn't arrived.

 

[Chaosblade02]

Actually I can and I will but that time hasn't arrived.

Don't hold your breath.

 

[Nemesis 1]

I never asked for this it was thrown upon a 4 year old.

 

[Chaosblade02]

A couple points of bullshit here despite him committing the crime.

The whole plead guilty and not waste the courts time or you get a more harsh sentence policy is way out of line with the way a properly functioning justice system would work.

If you are truly innocent, you should have little to worry about in maintaining your innocence. If you are guilty as charged, admit it so the court doesn't have to prove it and waste court time and money.

The person has the right to plead not guilty and goto trial. That's the beauty of our american justice system on paper at least.

You still can, but if they look over to you and say we currently have overwhelming evidence of your guilt, and if you just plead guilty and not waste the courts time, we will give you a lesser sentence, its called a plea deal. For someone who is truly guilty, this is most likely a relief.

This is why conviction rates are so high everywhere. They bully people into taking pleas regardless of how mishandled the case may be. Most people don't fight charges unless it's something like murder where you're doing life regardless. On most other charges they scare people into taking the 5 years instead of 15-20 if they dare claim innocence.

Most of them don't fight the charges because most of them are actually guilty as charged, and were smart to take the plea deal instead of being stupid trying to fight charges they know they are guilty of. Those who are innocent should be able to prove it in the vast majority of cases and get no prison time.

Plea deals have in fact let many harsh criminals off the hook with slaps on the wrist when they should have gotten much more prison time.

Secondly is the fact that he's 15. I understand special circumstances like vicious murders and what not. But this is not the case. Sure, let him do the 2+ years in juvi at which point he'll likely have turned into a more hardened criminal. They should attempt to reform him, get him educated. Sending him to a prison is pretty much ensuring that he'll commit more offenses once he's out especially if he's also got to deal w\ the stigma of being a felon.

Oh, boo hoo the poor little thug actually has to do his punishment for beating up and robbing an old man. This is what I don't understand about you Liberals, you are treating criminals like they are victims.

BUT... Then his record should be whiped like everybody else when they turn 18. They're basically double trying him for one offense since he's 15. If you commit a crime in your youth, it's gone from your record when you turn 18 if I'm not mistaken.

Double trying him? If you are tried as an adult, your record stays with you. Teenagers who commit violent crimes can be tried as an adult.

So basically, the court is just manipulating the rules of how law works in order to make the sentences more severe. Which is complete bullshit. Kids are kids, adults are adults.

A kid is a 6 year old that doesn't know right from wrong, a 15 year old is well aware of the actions they are doing unless they can prove mental illness of some sort. It is common for teenagers who commit violent crimes to be tried as adults, and they should be tried as such.

You sound more worried about the criminal than the actual victim, who was a 70 year old man who got beat down and robbed by a 15 year old thug. The little bastard is lucky if he just gets 2 years in juvenile detention. If he is smart he will wise up, if he is a dumbass then he will just end right back in prison.

If that 70 year old man was carrying a gun, and shot that little punk ass thug in the face that tried to rob him, I bet you would be crying foul too wouldn't you? In many States this would be possible.

 

[Nemesis 1]

Prove mental problems should be easy. The term Bi polar is a lol joke . I am by the defining the term as Bi polar as you can get. Its not a sickness its the lack of self control . Every day that passes by witnessing the mess that is earth I loss more and more my self control. To bad for you all.

 

[Chaosblade02]

Prove mental problems should be easy. The term Bi polar is a lol joke . I am by the defining the term as Bi polar as you can get. Its not a sickness its the lack of self control . Every day that passes by witnessing the mess that is earth I loss more and more my self control. To bad for you all.

This explains everything.

 

[Nemesis 1]

Like I wasn't expecting that . LOL

 

[Sonikku]

It seems a bit harsh for a kid. Kid's do stupid ass shit, it's why their punishments tend not to be as stiff then if they were adults. Their minds are still developing and the better judgement part doesn't really start kicking in until some time in the 20's. That's not to say he should get off scott free, he shouldn't. But to give him a criminal record for the rest of his life is more or less going to make it impossible for him to ever earn an honest buck until the day he dies as that question is on every application. In an employer's economy like this, he wouldn't be able to get a Mcdonalds job flipping burgers. I just fear even if he learns his lesson, he'll be living off the state. About your only two options when you can't get an honest job are to live off food stamps in poverty or sink even deeper into crime and end up in a state prison.

 

[ichy]

If this had happened in Iran, both his arms would be amputated.

In Singapore he would've been caned, which BTW, I think is a better punishment for this type of crime. Prison doesn't rehabilitate people, it mostly takes entry-level criminals and turns them into hardened thugs. Punishments such as caning and flogging are painful and humiliating, but they also allow a person to make another shot at leading a productive life after he's punished. Of course Western society has become far too soft and pussified to ever even consider bringing back judicial corporal punishment.

 

[ichy]

Their minds are still developing and the better judgement part doesn't really start kicking in until some time in the 20's.

Bullshit. I knew perfectly well that armed robbery was unacceptable when I was a teenager. We're not asking a 16-year old to grasp how insider trading harms others here.

 

[piasabird]

If he beat up an old man, maybe we should start by cutting his family jewels off. Maybe he should have cased out a better victim. Not only is he a violent hood, he is a stupid violent hood.

 

[Craig234]

Bullshit. I knew perfectly well that armed robbery was unacceptable when I was a teenager. We're not asking a 16-year old to grasp how insider trading harms others here.

You don't understand. Teenagers 'knowing it's wrong' because they're aware of rules against it is not the same as having judgment or the ability to appreciate the consequences and real harms of his actions. How many teens who 'know' they should not have unprotected sex with serious consequences do so anyway? When a kid grows up in a more criminal environment, that could easily influence them.

It's not an excuse for the crime, for which he needs to be punished.

 

[Craig234]

If he beat up an old man, maybe we should start by cutting his family jewels off. Maybe he should have cased out a better victim. Not only is he a violent hood, he is a stupid violent hood.

Are you serious? Hopefully not, it would make you look quite bad.

 

[Craig234]

This explains everything.

Don't be an ass attacking people for problems.

I'll criticize him all day for things he says, but it's rude to attack him that way.

It's pointlessly attempting to be hurtful, it's nasty, it's a betrayal of the trust if he announces it.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

I do agree they hand out felonies for everything these days. And the stigma associated with having "screwed" up in the past shouldn't hold people down after they have paid their debt to society, but it does. How can we change that?

 

[WackyDan]

Secondly is the fact that he's 15. I understand special circumstances like vicious murders and what not. But this is not the case. Sure, let him do the 2+ years in juvi at which point he'll likely have turned into a more hardened criminal. They should attempt to reform him, get him educated. Sending him to a prison is pretty much ensuring that he'll commit more offenses once he's out especially if he's also got to deal w\ the stigma of being a felon.

Yes, lets reward them. We already spend 2x+ on educating inner city kids like this, and yet the culture they grow up with and embrace negates all that.

I can appreciate you being devil's advocate here, but at some point the crime crosses the line and the punishment is just reward.

 

[Duder1no]

i bet the sentence would be nowhere near as stiff if he was white

 

[Craig234]

Yes, lets reward them. We already spend 2x+ on educating inner city kids like this

Link? Who the hell is saying 'reward for crime'? That's a straw man.

You seem to be equating educating the kid and rehabilitation with 'reward'. What kind of screwed up logic is if you prefer to keep the kid an uneducated criminal?

, and yet the culture they grow up with and embrace negates all that.

It often does. It's sad and a problem. Any constructive suggestions other than further increasing our lead as the world's highest incarcerator?

I can appreciate you being devil's advocate here, but at some point the crime crosses the line and the punishment is just reward.

The discussion isn't whether to punish. It's what the punishment should be.

 

[waggy]

heh those saying its harsh are nuts.

Stewart and Ninham carried BB guns that looked like real pistols when they knocked a 73-year old man to the ground--Stewart punching him in the face--and took all the cash he had on him, prosecutors said. That amounted to 7 cents."

ok they had guns and knocked a 73 yr old to the ground and punching him in the face.

I don't care what color they are. i don't care how much they took. i don't care how old they are.

If he gets branded as a FELON for life that is fien with me.

"

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

If this had happened in Iran, both his arms would be amputated.

we need this here.