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What I really see in that website is not that kids who are cognizant of their actions shouldn't be tried as adults. What I see is a problem with the system in general. I'm starting to think that no one should be questioned by the police at any time, for any reason, without a lawyer present. They should be required to stay within very strict guidelines for any kind of interrogation, whether of a suspect or just routine questioning, and all interrogations should always be on certified video with an independent witness, such as a court reporter.
The site also mentions that once a person is charged as an adult, their parents can no longer be involved with their defense. I don't know if that's a state-by-state thing, or what, but it shouldn't somehow magically release the system from all the other laws regarding minors. Parents and legal guardians should be involved at all times.
I kind of see this as part and parcel with other recent news stories involving police, like the 92-yr-old woman who was defending her home from burglars (I'm sure she thought) who didn't announce that they were actually police before they murdered her, or the man in New York who was riddled with 50 bullet holes for coming around a corner drunk. Ticket, revoked license, sure. Bullets??! The whole thing needs more transparency to the people, and then it needs to be taken apart and put back together one piece at a time, with no more rewards for confessions (true or not) and violence (warranted or not) and convictions (of the innocent or not) at any cost.
You know, come to think of it, this is why I voted against the death penalty. I'm actually FOR the death penalty in certain types of cases, if the system worked the way it's supposed to. But since it tends to be applied unequally and the innocent are often sent to death row due to police techniques like lying to get false, coerced confessions, I couldn't vote for it in any conscience.
I guess the difference here is that the girl in question obviously knew what she was doing and there's no question of whether or not she did it. It's not a matter of bad police tactics like the examples on the site. She thought she could literally get away with murder because she's a minor, and didn't care how much or what kind of trouble her mother got in for it. That has to stop one way or the other.
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I have a unique relationship with Lady Luck. She smiles on me often. Usually it's with derision.
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