15 year old boy sentenced to 6 years for 7 cent robbery?
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New York teen who beat up his elderly victim was sentenced to 6 years in juvenile detention
I’ve no mixed feelings here, unlike with the case of the Oklahoma woman who was sentenced to prison for minor marijuana possession. In this case a 15-year old boy, quite capable of hurting or killing someone, attacked an older man and refused to “man up.” I doubt it was the seven cents alone that cost him several years of his life, but the assault itself, coupled with his stubborn refusal to plead guilty to a crime he clearly committed.
Here’s the Newser summary so judge for yourself:
A 15-year-old Syracuse boy got the book thrown at him yesterday over a robbery that netted him all of seven cents. Judge William Walsh refused a defense request to sentence young Anthony Stewart, a Syracuse native, as a “youthful offender,” instead sentencing him as an adult to two to six years in juvenile detention and marking him as a felon for life, the Post Standard reports.
Stewart and an accomplice allegedly beat up a 73-year-old man, only to discover he had only spare change in his pocket. Both held guns, but Stewart says they were just BB guns. The judge said Stewart earned the harsh sentence by refusing to plead guilty, despite being identified by the victim. “Well, that cost you,” he said. His accomplice, 16, did plead guilty, and was sentenced as a youthful offender to 1.3 to four years in prison.
Tell us what you think? Do you think the sentencing was too harsh, or perhaps not harsh enough?
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There’s no question the kid is a problem—stupid and dangerous—right now. Question is, what kind of sentence will squelch that?
It feels good to put the smack down on somebody like this. I smiled when I read the judge’s comment, “Well, that cost you.” But then I have to ask myself, an offensive like this doesn’t merit a life sentence or execution, so he’ll get out one day. Will he be an even bigger problem—a rapist or murderer waiting for an opportunity—or will he have learned that attacking old folk is vile, be a decent man who has a job, stable relationships, and shudders with disgrace to think of what he did when he was a kid?
I have the feeling there are plenty of people in a regular prison for whom his crime will be something in his favor. Maybe I’m wrong.
Nah, his crime will never land him any favor. Most in prison will even consider him a stupid jerk. He will never consider how hideous his act was. At beat his trip to prison will be such a bad experience (from other inmates) he won’t want to go back. At worst he may learn that injuring his victims only make his sentence longer. At the very worst he will do something stupid like this again but kill the victim and be put on death row.
What disturbs me most is the absolute refusal to admit guilt although cleary he was culpable. This sort of abject denial, even when confronted by overwhelming proof is not normal. Most youthful offenders, (and adult ones, BTW) when caught ‘dead to rights’ will eventually concede that ‘it’s a fair cop.’ This behavior suggests to me an underlying sociopathy that will not be adressed by a harsh sentance, unless psychiatric counselling is part of the program in whatever facility the child winds up, if then.
I don’t know Bradley. Even a sociopath knows when it is best to plead an get the best deal possible. This is more of an attitude problem. He but will he is still playing tough but will he continue to be tough when faces the bad boys in the joint. I actually have a client just like him now who’s attitude may well get him LWOP.
Well, if he’s just ‘playing tough’, he’s really chewing the scenery with this bit. But yes, sociopaths are usually more pragmatic about their own self-interests.
In my jurisdiction to be certifiable as an adult you also have to have done a lot of bad things before–a long history of f-ing up. That might have been a factor here.
I hate to keep harping on this but some good old fashioned discipline before this punk beat up an old man may well have done wonders.
If not from his parents than from a watchful police man or teacher.