[quote]red04 wrote:
This part would make a lot more sense, and maybe even be a sensible addition to the argument, if the kid didn’t try to strangle the paperboy to death 9 years later. [/quote]
I see that now. I’m not sure how I missed this nugget, I just went back through and saw that, thanks for pointing it out. Again, as a disclaimer, I’m not trying to insinuate that the kid is/isn’t remorseful and/or actually mentally unstable. I don’t know, because this isn’t information I can possibly know with how much information they gave in the article. That being said,
[quote]GIANT HUGE RIDICULOUS DISCLAIMER HERE: NOT SAYING MURDERING A 5 YEAR OLD IS OK JUST ROLLING WITH A QUICK THOUGHT PROCESS: Let’s say the kid really did just fuck up big time, maybe he’s mentally incapable and didn’t know stabbing the kid in the chest would kill him and then did indeed try his best to cover his tracks, and then gets tried as an adult, gets big time therapy, etc etc. The story is then completely different. Obviously a parent would still be out of their mind over the death of their child, but I think that scenario could MAYBE fall into Oleena’s ‘worse shit happens’ kind of thing(there are ‘accidental’ kid deaths and tragedies that unfortunately do happen because some parents don’t pay enough attention).
The second that kid, then in his mid 20s, starts to strangle the fucking paperboy though? He is now no longer some sad story that made 1 wrong choice as an immature child(arguable since he was 16 at the time of the first murder anyways, well past the age where you can be tried as an adult); he’s on the path to being a serial killer. There is almost certainly no saving the mind of someone at that point, obviously the kid wasn’t living in shame and guilt and contemplating repentance and a healthy revolution of his life, and you can’t expect life in a 9x9 to magically begin to put that shame and guilt in him, he had the bones of his first murder victim ON HIS FUCKING DRESSER, clearly wasn’t that beat up about it.[/quote]
I definitely agree with all of this, well said. The thing that I’m having a tough time conceptualizing is how the distinction is made between when a person’s mental health is surveyed before being released. I know if I hear about the two acts the kid/guy (20s and all) committed I’d think that clearly he was unstable and not capable of rational decision making…
But then you hear that he kept some remains of his victim on his dresser. Is this simply a case of someone being cold and unthinkably remorseless, or someone who has a difficult time separating himself from his personal justifications of the crime and moral code.
He wasn’t charged as being criminally insane, but it leaves one to wonder some of the factors that go into making a decision such as this. He’s being let off for good behavior. Was that calculating compliance, ignorance and stupidity, or genuine change? I don’t know, we don’t know. As people who buy into government and society, we must accept the fact that (supposedly) big brother is there for our best interests. While this is wildly untrue, we kind of have to accept it in stride. If those decision-makers had deemed this to be a case that warranted a life-sentence or death penalty, we wouldn’t be hearing about this right now. But that’s how it is.
Now, let me pose this; A random person who reads this forum gets inspired to carry out retribution as many of the posters early in this thread claimed wish to happen. He goes, kidnaps this guy, and takes him to his shack. He tortures him and kills him. …like posters earlier in this thread said… How is that retribution? To me, that still seems like hateful brutality in its purest form.
Really, you can go back and read my original posts. The only thing I’ve really be questioning (and have yet to hear a response) is how people on here can say that and not be a total hypocrite?
For the record, I am completely open to debate. I find it disappointing that someone who I had respect for would rather throw out empty, personal insults rather than engage in serious dialogue. This isn’t that serious, we are all just critics sitting behind a computer after all.