Fifteen Year Old Girl Stabs, Strangles, and Slits the Throat of a Nine Year Old Girl.

She got sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

I wasn't even aware of this until earlier this week when it was on Yahoo's front page. My question is, why did it take nearly three years to convict her?

She needs psychiatric help as well as being tried as an adult. I don't care what anyone says, if that was YOUR loved one being killed for the sake of a fifteen year old 'wanting to know what it was like to kill someone', I highly doubt you'd say differently.

cinderella.:

She needs psychiatric help as well as being tried as an adult. I don't care what anyone says, if that was YOUR loved one being killed for the sake of a fifteen year old 'wanting to know what it was like to kill someone', I highly doubt you'd say differently.

That's precisely why we have a justice system- because the victims of violent crimes are vengeful. It doesn't matter if I'd say the same thing in their place, that doesn't mean I'd be thinking clearly or in alignment with the legal system.

I hope they lock her up in solidary youth nuthouse, and then when she hits 18, transfer her to death row.
Mental issues or not, that is unforgivable and a person this dangerous is a threat to humanity every living second.

^Luckily, you're not eligible to make that decision instead of the justice system.

Shtrudel:

I hope they lock her up in solidary youth nuthouse, and then when she hits 18, transfer her to death row.
Mental issues or not, that is unforgivable and a person this dangerous is a threat to humanity every living second.

They can't because she was a juvenile when the crime was committed.

Pity. Law should be adjusted and treat everyone as an adult who is technically old enough to know what they are doing. Most people know murder is wrong at age what, 10?

@So Xsoteria, I guess you think an unethical murderous child-slaying monster deserves a second shot at life, unlike her victim?

Shtrudel:

@So Xsoteria, I guess you think an unethical murderous child-slaying monster deserves a second shot at life, unlike her victim?

Everyone deserves a second shot at life. It is the tragedy of death (in this case, murder) that nothing will reverse it. Certainly not taking away the life of another human being. Your sentence is phrased as though we have the ability to choose one of these lives, rather than the reality of the suggestion: to end both of them.

Shtrudel:

Pity. Law should be adjusted and treat everyone as an adult who is technically old enough to know what they are doing. Most people know murder is wrong at age what, 10?

But a lot of children don't know that murder is 'wrong' at the age of 10 (or 15, for that matter) because violence has been normalized in their lives - because they've had it inflicted on them their whole short lives by parents / teachers / everybody else. Many online articles say that Alyssa Bustamante had been self-harming for years before she killed that 9 year old girl - it's obvious that she had a very different experience so also a very different knowledge of violence and pain than the average 15 year old.

kafka.:

But a lot of children don't know that murder is 'wrong' at the age of 10 (or 15, for that matter) because violence has been normalized in their lives - because they've had it inflicted on them their whole short lives by parents / teachers / everybody else. Many online articles say that Alyssa Bustamante had been self-harming for years before she killed that 9 year old girl - it's obvious that she had a very different experience so also a very different knowledge of violence and pain than the average 15 year old.

I'm pretty sure that most kids know that murder is wrong by the age of 10. Maybe even before that.

Jewel Nicole:

I'm pretty sure that most kids know that murder is wrong by the age of 10. Maybe even before that.

An understanding that "murder" (killing someone) is "wrong" is not the same as a legal understanding of murder. Intention to kill or cause grievous bodily harm is separate to understanding of death or understanding of killing. And a child might understand that "murder is wrong" but not understand things like that certain violent acts cause death, or that death is permanent. When my grandmother died of cancer - I think I was 12 or 13 - I understood death (and its finality) as concepts but I did not understand how the human body stopped working and why they hadn't been able to make her better (and was angry that no-one would clearly explain it.)

But I'm not sure why we're discussing at what point children gain legal understanding of murder when the minor in question seems to have been mentally disturbed which is a separate legal issue

pravda.:

But I'm not sure why we're discussing at what point children gain legal understanding of murder when the minor in question seems to have been mentally disturbed which is a separate legal issue

Is it? You can charge a minor as an adult and they can use the insanity defense- what the prosecution charges someone with is a separate decision from how they defend themselves.

Kurtni:

Is it? You can charge a minor as an adult and they can use the insanity defense- what the prosecution charges someone with is a separate decision from how they defend themselves.

-nod- I stand/recline corrected.

Jewel Nicole:

I'm pretty sure that most kids know that murder is wrong by the age of 10. Maybe even before that.

I'm not sure I understand your point? Most kids are also not abandoned by their mother while their father is in jail, don't attempt suicide and don't carve out the word 'hate' on their arm.

Shtrudel:

Pity. Law should be adjusted and treat everyone as an adult who is technically old enough to know what they are doing. Most people know murder is wrong at age what, 10?

@So Xsoteria, I guess you think an unethical murderous child-slaying monster deserves a second shot at life, unlike her victim?

I think that trying children as adults, based on shock value and gut feelings is about the most retarded legal mechanism I have ever heard. And there were pretty stupid things being done during the ages.

And yes, I think everyone should have a second shot at life. I'm concerned though, that you seem to think mentally impaired people have perfectly well perspective of what's right and wrong and act accordingly.

I think she should be tried as an adult, insane or not. They can use the insanity plea or whatever and she can end up in a mental institution for life or whatever, but she did a very adult crime. No matter how old you are, murder is murder and deserves the same justice for the family whether a forty year old did it or twelve year old or in this case, a fifteen year old.

@ Insanity's Artist
I hardly think it's appropriate to chop and change the legal system to suit an arbitrary notion of "adultness".

@The Master, I wasn't saying the legal system should be changed. It's hardly a new concept for children to be tried as adults when they commit serious crimes, like murder. And "adultness" is the very center around the debate for should children be tried as adults. If the crime they did was "adult" enough, they are tried as adults. And the only thing I think should be changed is that if you commit murder, even as a adolescent, you should be tried as an adult and receive the same punishment because murder is murder. If that change were made a definite change that would hardly change the whole legal system.

@ kafka.

Is that supposed to excuse this act? (Sorry for the late reply, I just saw yours. )