Donna Gallegos, an administrator for Juveniles for Justice, had a letter posted on the Joplin Independent website Thursday in which she asked for a little understanding for the 14-year-old, who is being charged as an adult:
Thomas was only 13 yrs. old when he made a very immature decision about how he would stop constant bullying at school. His own mother has been quoted in the media stating that she and the school officials should have done more to help him.
Most adults have trouble understanding the court process. All of us have the right to participate in defending ourselves in court; a child cannot make adult decisions concerning his defense. A child cannot begin to grasp "years" locked up.
Ms. Gallegos concludes:
Thomas White should have been held accountable in juvenile court and he should have had the opportunity to grow into adulthood without prison or a felony record.
Wrong!
ReplyDeleteThis is an extremely difficult call With a rifle one person can do a lot of damage.
ReplyDeleteI think court-mandated psychiatric care/counseling--and plenty of it would have been the best way to go.
Then the court could have made a decision based on the outcome of that counseling.
Would Ms. Gallegos be willing to assume financial and legal responsibility should the juvenile (in chronological age) repeat his behavior except the gun does not jam the second time?
ReplyDeleteNo one ever did tell me how deterence works with kids when no kids ever watch the news (especcially national news.)
ReplyDeleteWasn't just a "rifle", it was an assualt weapon.
ReplyDeleteThe best therapist in the world cannot help someone who does not believe that they need help and does not ask for help.
If Ms. Gallegos agrees to go to prison for a life sentence should White ever attempt to hurt someone again, then I'm all for it.
She needs to back up her words with actions.