Ask Me Help Desk - 8 year old killer

The kid is eight. It's possible he doesn't even understand what "death" or "dead" really means. Regardless, an eight-year-old has no business in an adult prison. And it sounds like there's a big question on if he did it or not.

To the second part of the question - I guess for me I weigh it on age and crime. I have a lot less sympathy for a 17-year-old who hacked his parents to death than for an 8-year-old. But I don't think either should spend time in an adult prison until they are of "adult" age.

This is the second case recently about a young child doing something "adult". The first that comes to mind is the boy in Australia who broke into a zoo, killed several animals by bashing their heads in, and fed others to a crocodile. He's not being charged with anything because of his age. Boy, 7, Breaks Into Zoo, Kills Animals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by excon

Hello again:

Ok, I won't keep you in suspense. We used to put people under 18 into the juvenile system, because we believed that children didn't have the capacity to understand the ramifications of their acts. It had nothing to do with the crime. It had everything to do with their age. It worked fine.

Then, sometime around the early 70's, when CRIME became an issue, and SOFT on crime became an anathema, we began charging children as adults... In my view, it was done strictly for political purposes.

It's time we ALL became the bleeding heart liberals that we once were.

excon

It isn't about politics. What's wrong today, is that the people of America have stopped caring about one another, as human beings, in general. That doesn't mean that we were all once bleeding heart liberals. Neither does that mean that everyone used to care. Nor does it indicate that most people are jerks. Subscribing to only one view or another is black and white thinking. Black and white work well for mathematical equations. When personalities get involved, becoming rigid-thinking only serves to fuel anger and judgement.

Does capital punishment really help solve things, I mean what lesson is taught? Should all male rapists be castrated? Should an 8-year-old boy be tried as an adult? The answer to all of these questions is that, "it depends on the circumstances." Circumstances involving human beings are never black and white.

Those of us (certainly not me) with the ability to sift through all evidence available to us and come up with succinct sensibility are a gift to society. Why don't they get voted for? Why are these people not heard more? Why aren't they on television, and the american populace hanging on every word? Who do you champion, and why?

Hello again:

You asked, who would want to put a kid like this in prison...

I'll tell you who. Bill O'Reilly and his click. When he was watching the video of the police ILLEGALLY interviewing the kid, Bill noticed that the kid said he killed his dad, and wasn't emotional at all when he said it. To Bill, that meant the kid was a sociopath and should rot in the slam. Billo isn't alone in his thinking.

To ME, and I think to you, his lack of emotion is EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D EXPECT FROM AN 8 year old. They don't really understand that DEAD is FOREVER. That's why we treat them differently.

The Arizona cops should be ashamed of themselves... Plus, I know it's a small police force, but how come they didn't know they should't interview a kid WITHOUT a parent or WITHOUT a lawyer? Doesn't EVERY police force know that?? Ok, no they don't.

excon

Actually no parents don't have to be there to ask them questions, in fact normally it is pefered not to have them there. Also as long as they are charged as a child ( youth) they actually don't have the same rights as a adult, in Juv court, although they go in for a specific crime, youth court looks to see what they believe is in the best interest of the child.

Wow, you mean an 8 year old child can be interrogated without their parents present? What about counsel?

An 8 year old child could be easily coerced into accepting blame for something he/she didn't even do. Imagine how scared this young boy was, being alone with the police, being questioned without his mother there, or counsel there to protect his rights.

I just don't think that's right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by excon

Hello again:

You asked, who would want to put a kid like this in prison....

I'll tell you who. Bill O'Reilly and his click. When he was watching the video of the police ILLEGALLY interviewing the kid, Bill noticed that the kid said he killed his dad, and wasn't emotional at all when he said it. To Bill, that meant the kid was a sociopath and should rot in the slam. Billo isn't alone in his thinking.

To ME, and I think to you, his lack of emotion is EXACTLY WHAT YOU'D EXPECT FROM AN 8 year old. They don't really understand that DEAD is FOREVER. That's why we treat them differently.

The Arizona cops should be ashamed of themselves.... Plus, I know it's a small police force, but how come they didn't know they should't interview a kid WITHOUT a parent or WITHOUT a lawyer?? Doesn't EVERY police force know that???? Ok, no they don't.

excon

I watched bill o'reilly discuss this with the two women that he refers to his legal panel or something like that... I didn't get the impression at ALL that He thought this boy belonged in jail. Perhaps you dislike bill o'reilly and you read into his comment. Just a thought... ( I am part of his click... fyi)

Hey exy... don't BE a pin-head!

Quote:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/us...d.html?_r=1&hp

Ms. Bloomfield described her son as a “normal boy” who played video games nonstop

I wonder which videogames this kid was playing?

I don't think an 8 yo understands the finality of death. In a lot of videogames the goal is violence, no right or wrong, no consequences for your actions, no legal penalties, and your player always has several lives or you can restart.

[QUOTE=Fr_Chuck;1384955]actually no parents don't have to be there to ask them questions, in fact normally it is pefered not to have them there. Also as long as they are charged as a child ( youth) they actually don't have the same rights as a adult, in Juv court, although they go in for a specific crime, youth court looks to see what they believe is in the best interest of the child.[/QUOTE

On CNN and many talk shows, lawyers stated that a parent doesn't have to be present for questioning but once he confessed to the crime they should've stop and let a parent be present for the rest of the questioning but they didn't because they knew most likely the parent would've asked for a lawyer. Even Judge Alex agreed.

The thing I don't like about this is why did they released the tape of the boy being question. That was wrong and considering his age. In the interview it seems like they were interviewing him as a witness then a suspect. If I was the parent I would have stop the tape from airing and stop it from airing.

I don't believe this child should be charged as an adult but I do believe that he needs therapy a psycologyst or someone who can help him. 8 years in the world, he dose not know what he has done!! Im sure in the future he will regret it but now the poor child just cannot possibly know what he has done. I mean when I was that age I didn't even know much about death.. let alone acctually killing someone. The authorities in that state are taking this over board. I understand he took two lives but come on! He IS a CHILD!

I go a step further. I think it is WRONG to even have him in a juvenile detention center. He is EIGHT!! A eight year old boy needs his mother.. they still sleep with teddy bears. He is messed up. Why mess him up further? He needs his MOTHER and psycolgical HELP.

[QUOTE=liz28;1386496Even Judge Alex agreed.[/QUOTE]

Who is Judge Alex? I've been following this case - hot legal topic, obviously - and have seen no mention of a Judge Alex. I thought there hadn't been an arraignment and so far no Judge is involved.

Quote:

Originally Posted by classyT

I go a step further. I think it is WRONG to even have him in a juvenile detention center. He is EIGHT!!! A eight year old boy needs his mother..they still sleep with teddy bears. He is messed up. Why mess him up further? He needs his MOTHER and psycolgical HELP.

Has anyone read why the mother didn't have custody?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

Who is Judge Alex? I've been following this case - hot legal topic, obviously - and have seen no mention of a Judge Alex. I thought there hadn't been an arraignment and so far no Judge is involved.

If you reread my post I was quoting comments made by people. Today on the today show they had 2 t.v. judges on the show, one of them being Judge Alex and the other one name was Judge Jeanine Pirro, and they both was giving their input on the case. Never said it was a judge from an arriagement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by liz28

If you reread my post I was quoting comments made by people. Today on the today show they had 2 t.v. judges on the show, one of them being Judge Alex and the other one name was Judge Jeanine Pirro, and they both was giving their input on the case. Never said it was a judge from an arriagement.

And if you re-read my post, who is Judge Alex and why is he commenting on this? Judge Jeanine Pirro I know. She's an authority, has been in the Courts for years and years, has an excellent Bar Association rating.

You said, "Even Judge Alex agrees." That's not a quote and I have no idea who he is or what makes him an authority.

Judge Alex is an judge that comes on t.v. like Judge Pirro. I forgot his last name but he comes on channel 5 everyday for at least the last 2 years. This morning while both of them was on the show he did most of the talking while Judge Pirro agreed. So she agreed to what he had to say and even added to it. And again they both was commenting on the case like everyone else accept they were giving their legal point of view. He is a judge so he is of authority.

Hello again:

Judge Alex Ferrer, I think.

For ALL the reasons you guys have cited, plus many more, the cops have screwed up their investigation sooooo badly, that the only thing left to do, IS charge him as a juvenile. The confession will be thrown out. They'll NEVER convict him as an adult.

I guess that's good. But, I'd rather they treated him as a juvenile because he is, not because they screwed up.

excon

Judy, since you stated you don't know who he is, here is some information about his from his website.
Meet Judge Alex
Former police officer, attorney and Florida Circuit Court Judge Alex E. Ferrer hosts "Judge Alex," the new court room strip from Twentieth Television that will make its launch in first-run national syndication on September 12, 2005. The first new court show in four years, the half-hour strip features Judge Alex, the only television judge with extensive police, legal and judicial experience, presiding over a wide array of cases, resolving complicated issues with his straight forward approach and cogent rulings.

Most recently, Judge Alex served as the Associate Administrative Judge of the Criminal Division of Florida’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit, which services Miami-Dade County, the largest trial court in the state and fourth largest in the United States.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Judge Alex and his family escaped from Fidel Castro’s Communist regime to America when he was one year old. Growing up in Miami with a passionate interest in law enforcement, at 19 he joined the Coral Gables Police Department, making him one of the youngest officers in the state. While on the police force, he served as a patrolman, detective and in an undercover capacity. He was also trained to be on the department’s SWAT force. Intent on building a career in the legal profession, Judge Alex performed his duties as a police officer while attending both college and law school.

Judge Alex received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Miami School of Law, where he became a published member of its Law Review. He previously served as Judicial Director of the university’s Alumni Association. Upon receiving his degree, Judge Alex practiced law in Miami, focusing on civil litigation, including hundreds of suits involving medical malpractice, wrongful deaths, personal injuries and commercial business disputes. After becoming an attorney, and to further embolden his commitment to law and order, Judge Alex served as a volunteer reserve police officer in the Miami suburb of Homestead. But the experience of law enforcement and legal representation were only stepping stones in his dream of reaching for higher aspirations in the U.S.

In 1995, at the age of 34, he was elected judge, making him the youngest Circuit Court Judge in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, where he was a Family and Criminal division judge for the past ten years. Throughout his high-profile tenure on the bench, he handled thousands of cases, ranging from first degree murders involving the death penalty, drug related offenses, RICO conspiracy indictments, kidnappings and armed robberies to child custody and support issues, general financial matters, adoptions and paternity suits. Judge Alex also presided as an appellate judge over appeals from the
Miami-Dade County Court, County Commission and numerous other governmental bodies. In 1999, his peers elected him as their District Representative to the Executive Committee of the Conference of Circuit Court Judges, a role he held until 2001; and he served on the Conference’s Legislative Subcommittee from 2003 to 2005. Moreover, Judge Alex was selected by the Judicial Nominating Commission as a finalist for a vacant seat in Florida’s high-profile Third District Court of Appeal.

Judge Alex is a member of the Florida and District of Columbia Bars, and has served as an adjunct professor at Florida International University, teaching graduate courses in criminal law and procedure. He teaches media relations and closing arguments to other judges at judicial conferences held throughout the year, as well as at the New Judges College and the College of Advanced Judicial Studies. Judge Alex has also authored a "bench book" on closing arguments that is used by judges throughout Florida and is regularly interviewed by media to provide expert opinions on a number of legal issues.

Judge Alex resides in Miami with his wife and their two children. A licensed pilot, his interests also include scuba diving, sculpting, golf, music and running marathons.

"Judge Alex" is exclusively distributed throughout the U.S. by Twentieth Television and executive produced by Michelle Mazur, Burt Wheeler and Sharon Sussman.

JudgeAlex.com - Official Site for Judge Alex

Quote:

Originally Posted by liz28

Judge Alex is an judge that comes on t.v. like Judge Pirro. I forgot his last name but he comes on channel 5 everyday for at least the last 2 years. This morning while both of them was on the show he did most of the talking while Judge Pirro agreed. So she agreed to what he had to say and even added to it. And again they both was commenting on the case like everyone else accept they was giving their legal point of view. He is a judge so he is of authority.

All right, I looked him up. He's the "star" of a TV talk show.

I don't know about "... he is of authority." He's not an active Judge anywhere nor is he in private practice but he certainly has legal experience and the necessary background and degree. I obviously don't watch a lot of TV.

You've quoted your Attorney friends in the past - what do they say about this case?

Excon, do you think the jury will be tinted especially since the tape is out?

Hello liz:

If they try him as an adult, he'll be eligible for a change of venue because of the tape, and the small town... But, I can't imagine that he could get a fair trial ANYWHERE because of the tape.

I hope they come to their senses and treat him like a kid...

What? Did I say that I hope the cops come to their senses?? I musta been smoking something... Bwa, ha ha ha.

excon