Teen "Sniper" pleads Not Guilty

[Domino]

I dunno guys, debating whether or not it was hunting season or not is pretty insignificant to the crime this young man commited. Although some animal rights activisist will say otherwise, poaching a deer is NOTHING compared to shooting a person in cold blood. What disturbs me the most about this case is that if this guy is willing to shoot at cars on the highway, what else has he shot or killed in the past? Oftentimes criminals are not caught on their first crime.

 

[Phenom]

Anything other than a light swat on a kid's rearend is abuse in my opinion. Physical punishment should be a last resort. My former stepfather would swat me upside the head, and it only made me bitter. If anyone here witnessed my past then they would understand why I'm not for physical punishment.

This a case of the parents not doing their job. If a child is raised the right way from the start, then we wouldn't have many problems like these.

 

[mrmeval]

Indiana does not allow modern rifles for deer hunting.

 

[Erebus]

My father warmed my hide when I deserved it. And looking back I'm glad he did. It was the ONLY form of punishment that meant squat to me. Ground me, give me a lecture, go ahead I didn't care. But bring up getting spanked and you had my attention and I was sweating. When dad doled out a spanking it hurt for hours and I didn't forget it. I didn't get it often but when I did I remembered it and why I got it.

My brother got arrested for lifting a lighter from CVS on a dare once. And ONLY once. When the police told him that Dad was there to pick him up from jail he said "No, I'll just stay here".

This kid clearly has major issues that likely now will never be addressed. That's not to say that I think if he's guilty that he should ever see the light of day again.

I guarentee that this isn't the first cold blooded thing he has done. It always starts small and gets bigger.

We really need to educate people on how to identify the warning signs early when something can still be done.

 

[gunsmith]

his myspace!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=73186198

 

[Yeager]

Anyone else notice that in his myspace profile he lists the KKK as one of his heros and the NRA is listed latter on down?

Wow, just wait untill the antis get their hands on that information

 

[chrisbob]

I read a couple people ask about a parent or guardian present at the questioning. In Indiana If you are 17 and charged with murder you are treated as an adult and charged as an adult. it is his decision to have or not to have someone else present at the time of questioning.

 

[carterbeauford]

Can anyone read that myspace page?

 

[El Tejon]

chrisbob, my inquiry was not as to juvenile court jurisdiction, but to whether the juvenile rights waiver statute had been complied with.

Indiana courts have long held that those under 18, even if arrested for murder, cannot unilaterally waive their rights. Thus, if he is 17 he is still subject to Indiana Code 31-32-5-1 (juvenile rights waiver which includes "meaningful consultation"). Bryant v. State, 802 N.E.2d 486 (Ind. Ct. App. 2004).

I will keep my ear to the ground and see what happens on the legal side. Wait and see.

carter, I can view the myspace website, but it hurts my head. A jumble of rubbish that I do not understand.

 

[Erebus]

And some moron left a comment on how she will miss him on the football team and at graduation.

He killed someone!!!

Can you say "delusional" boy and girls?

Yea that page is a mess. But I think it says he likes huntin'.[/sarcasm]

 

[DonP]

17 or 19 years old?

The Tribune article said he was a "19 year old senior in High School".

But legally, whether he's 17 or 19 he is booked as an adult, unless Indiana has a very different standard of the "age of reason".

Having a parent or guardian there is not relevant, as long as they read him his rights, hopefully on camera.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

But legally, whether he's 17 or 19 he is booked as an adult, unless Indiana has a very different standard of the "age of reason".

Having a parent or guardian there is not relevant, as long as they read him his rights, hopefully on camera.

Assuming El Tejon is correct about the legal stuff (as he usually is), the difference between 17 and 19 would be VERY relevant. If a "juvenile" (under 18) in that state cannot waive his rights, then it would not matter if he was Miranda-ized and declined to call an attorney or his parents, the right to counsel is not something he can waive.

Which will toss the confession.

 

[El Tejon]

DonP, everything I have seen states he is 17.

If 17, then it is very relevant whether a parent or guardian is present for meaningful consultation.http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title31/ar32/ch5.html If guardians (in this case) not present and no opportunity for meaningful consultation (with grandma going to jail for allegedly hiding the rifle gun, she's not there likely), "confession" goes bye-bye.

It is not relevant what he is "booked" for. If it's murder or conspiracy to steal the moon or possession of a banjo with the intent to annoy, he is still a juvenile. What matters is what the prosecution does.

Heck, I don't know if a parent or guardian was present in this case (just going by the media and I know that's wrong), just pointing out a potential bump in the prosecution's road--but that's what I do.

*disclaimer* these posts are not meant to condone any of the alleged actions but are made in the spirit of THR and addressing potential legal issues.

 

[gunsmith]

the myspace comments

like "missing" him ...I think that they were made before he went on his psycho thrill kill.

I know I made embarassing statements when I was 17...I was a Jimmy Carter supporter at 17! ....(hey at least he was pro life!)

We shouldn't be to hard on his friends, they didn't know he was going to freak out.

 

[#shooter]

1. He did not plead "not guilty", the judge did. He is a minor and had no lawyer for whatever reason. I can't remember why and thought that was odd. I guess it is SOP for the judge to do it when it is a minor and no attorney present.
2. No centerfire rifles are allowed for taking deer in IN.
3. He was hunting on a farm and farmers can take deer that damage crops. I'm not sure if they have to report it or check in the deer somewhere.

 

[Harve Curry]

I would not call this coward a sniper, he is a murderer

Snipers are some of the best of our Americans who save lives of other Americans everday.

 

[gunsmith]

You know, I don't normally use the plus one thing

BUT!

I would not call this coward a sniper, he is a murderer

+1 and an Amen!

We shouldn't use the same terms as the MSM, real snipers train hard and are honorable, this punk (if guilty) needs jail/capital punishment and will never come close to the dicipline and courage of a sniper in our Armed Forces!

 

[hksw]

Although I think he did the crimes knowingly and without provocation, I will guess that he (his appointed lawyer) will say he had a bad upbringing, troubled kid, didn't mean to do it, the jury will sympathize and he'll get 5 years and a little probation.