"Zoloft" sentencing

[Mom70x7]

CHARLESTON, S.C. Feb 16, 2005 — A 15-year-old boy was sentenced to 30 years in prison for murdering his grandparents after jurors rejected the claim that he was driven to kill by the antidepressant Zoloft.

What do you think?

The boy was 12 years old when he murdered his grandparents. He's never denied that.

I agree with the jury that Zoloft isn't a valid defense. We're each responsible for our behaviors. I'm fed up with the "it wasn't my fault" mentality. 

However . . . is 30 years in prison appropriate for the actions of a 12-year-old? I'm not suggesting he get off; he's guilty. But 30 years? 

I'm interested in other opinions.

[NATCH]

 If that kid, at 15 years old did not know he was doing wrong when when he killed them!
I think 30 years is not long enough for the little punk!

Grandpa & Grandmas are the best.
                                                                             (OFF WITH HIS HEAD)

[Teresa]

I am glad I wasn't on the jury... because that is a tough question to answer without hearing all the facts. 
What was the boys past behavior? Was he violent to others? Had he had a history of violence? Where was he living at the time?  If he was not at home... WHY was he living with his grandparents? Where were his parents?  The big question and what infuriates me in this society now is .. if a child is a bit different or if he has some "problems"... the medical profession, teachers and parents who don't want to deal with anything that disrupts their lives and lifestyle.. start pounding antidepressants and drugs in these kids.....Drug them up..so they will be "managable". Put them on the back burner..expect them to wade through life without love and patience from adult supervision..and by golly lets not forget to make sure that they have their "medication".
That is no excuse in my opinion though, of killing your grandparents, or parents or anyone for that matter. In all honesty.. a boy 15 years old should know right from wrong..and if he was willingly taking the drug, then that can not be an excuse..If the drug changed him for the good.. he would benefit the rewards.. if it changed him for the worse..then he will have to take the time with the crime he commited. Either way... HE is the one ..by his own hands.. took the lives of his grandma and grandpa.
NOW~~~~ here is the glitch...and I am not advocating murder understand.. but what I am getting to is: what circumstances drives another human being to be so mad or to be so out of control ...to commit the act of killing another?
NO ONE  is beyond having their buttons pushed...No One!
Unless this child..(and yes I think 15 is still a child..should be on the way to manhood, but still a child in most ways.) was beaten,or tortured..sexually abused or any other henious injustices .. then what could have possibly been the reason his button was pushed?
I can tell you ~~~Do something henious to one of my kids or family members and believe me..my button will be pushed.. hell hath no fury like a mother bear protecting her cubs ... but what ever I do.. I will suffer the consequences of the laws accordingly... regardless if I am 15 or 51 or 151.. And I would do what I would do..knowing that.
30 years is a long time ..yes... but that is only 15 years per grandparent.. so I have to say... 30 years is just.
My grandma and grandpa's lives  were worth wayyyyyy way more than 15 years apiece... They were part of my life for 40 years... and it STILL wasn't enough time for me to be with them. I miss them every single day.   Just like these grandparents will be missed by others.. because this boy took their lives.
  30 years it is!   **ponding the gavel**

[Janet Harrington]

Remember that this young man was 13 when he committed the crime.  I am like T.  I would like to know what kind of childhood he had, but I think one can assume that since his lawyers tried to use a "Zolfot" defense, then he probably had an okay childhood.  WHERE ARE THE PARENTS??      Maybe they are dead.  Maybe they are in prison.  Maybe he was taken away from his parents and his grandparents raised him.  You know thought, the bottom line, the buck stops here, the brick wall hits you in the face, what this all means is...HE KILLED HIS GRANDPARENTS.  He deseves to die for that.  30 years is NOT enough of a punishment for the crimes he has committed.

[Teresa]

It wasn't mtcookosn.. it was Natch...aka Derek.. who posted.
and he is very very upset with the fact that kids can even consider killing their granparents!.
Of course he..along with most everyone else.. can not even begin to imagine how anyone could hurt their own parents or grandma and grandpa...
We had a discussion about it this morning..and he posted quite a bit more in the original one .. but didn't send it all.
Thanks to everyone who has posted and given their opinion.

[Teresa]

We do have the 3 men who DO post a lot... ... Mtcookson, Snakehater, Natch. Thanks guys.
We have other men of course who join in occasionally, and that is great. Need more of you male tigers to come out of the woods and roar a little bit.
I wish more people in general would join and talk and  share. And maybe they will  later on.
I think the thing with forums is that people are shy or kind of nervous about posting.. I have heard some say that they don't have anything to say or that they don't know what to say or that they are afraid of looking silly.
To that one I have to laugh. There is no one any more silly than me..and my goat loving boys.. hahaha 
But the thing to do is just start posting  something small and add a comment or 2 if you want to "test the waters" . Before you know it .. you will be a regular full blown wind bag like me.. LOL ((And I don't need ANY comment on that from any of my family or my friends ))
But it is fun..and  to joke and kid around does help bring smiles on faces I am sure. Anyway I hope so..
and then we also have issues where it is good to see passion and fire and true feelings on serious subjects. How wonderful that we can all agree to disagree and have our own belief and opinions and be able to speak freely on issues.. 
And thank you again Mom70 for bringing up this topic and stiring the pot of debate. ..I love it!

[DanCookson]

Eye for an Eye.

Too many times we "excuse" people for thier actions, because they had a rough childhood.  Too many times we give too much praise for people that have a rough childhood, but go on to do great things. 
Examples of this are, "You can't blame him, he had a horrible childhood."  The inverse of this is, "Wow, can you believe that he made such an accomplishment, he had such a horrible childhood."

At that age, you do know right and wrong, and you do know that there are consequences for you actions. 

Grandpa & Grandmas are the best.
                                                                              (OFF WITH HIS HEAD)

[Teresa]

I had the most wonderful, loving, normal..opps... did I say normal
........Let me start again.. **clearing my throat**
ok

I had the most wonderful loving fun childhood that anyone could have ever ask for. My parents were the best..where kisses and hugs were handed out in bucketfulls. Where you were free to be or say anything that you wanted.. and still know that you were loved unconditionally. All my girlfriends loved to be at my house because I had the coolest most fun mom in the town..( I still do)
Mark had the same kind of life also growing up.. so when we had kids.. we just extended that ..and kept the deep roots of family strong..and it is being carried on yet as the next generation unfolds.
So..on a lighter note and for the record... because my boys are obsessed with "goats"... that is something that they nor anyone can blame on how they were raised... 
((And you noticed that the word"normal" never popped up again in the post didn't you?
auuhmmmm there IS a reason for that.. ))

[lilsandratsmom..]

ZOLOFT IS GIVEN (OR SUPPOSE TO BE) FOR DEPRESSION/OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER. THIS DRUG DOES EFFECT THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (WHICH IS ALREADY NOT WORKING PROPERLY IF NEEDING ZOLOFT). ONE SIDE EFFECT IS MANIA. THIS DOES NOT JUSTIFY WHAT HE DID-BUT MAY HELP SOME UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE MORE UNDERLYING CAUSES. SOME OF MY QUESTIONS ARE---WAS THE DOCTOR MONITORING HIM CLOSELY, WAS HE GIVEN A SCRIPT FOR 50 PILLS (IF SO-HE SHOULDN'T HAVE). IF ZOLOFT WAS GIVEN, HOPEFULLY IT WAS BECAUSE OF A MEDICAL PROBLEM. HEALTH PROBLEMS OF THE MIND ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS HEALTH PROBLEMS OF THE BODY. MAYBE WE SHOULD LOOK AT OTHERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM.

[Teresa]

Thanks chicky for the medical definiion in laymans terms. What a good nurse you are.
I looked it up but didn't really understand the whole jargen. We are hearing more and more about it , so I guess more people are on it than we know.
Still think the kid is getting what he deserved... but ... at least I understand the drug more.