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In reply to the discussion: What is the youngest age at which it should be possible to sentence someone to life without parole? [View all]dem in texas
(2,674 posts)5. I was kicked off a Jury one time for asking young defendant's age
I was in the final jury pool for a capital murder case. The defendant was driving the get-away car when a robbery was committed and someone killed. The DA was asking for life in prison for the young man. The defendant had no criminal record and you could see he was just a kid. I asked how old he was when the crime was committed. The judge said he was not allowed to tell his age. This is Texas after all.
Anyway, I was struck from the jury. When I got home, I got on the internet and found a report of the crime and it showed the kid was 16 years old. I would not have sent this kid to prison for life. Now if someone was a human predator who killed people to rob and had repeated offenses, I might feel different.
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What is the youngest age at which it should be possible to sentence someone to life without parole? [View all]
Nye Bevan
Nov 2013
OP
I said never, but if it must be done, can we at least agree that brain development ends in the early
Mass
Nov 2013
#4
The age of discretion begins historically at 7, but is well enough developed by 13
FarCenter
Nov 2013
#6
Society has a problem here. If it doesnt think that a young person has the wisdom at 20 not to
stevenleser
Nov 2013
#8
Incarceration until age 50 may be enough if the circumstances are not aggravated.
FarCenter
Nov 2013
#12
Interesting to see who would have no problem with sentencing kids to life in prison.
darkangel218
Nov 2013
#16
I like knowing who voted 14 or below because I can then realize why they post other things. Sick! nt
Logical
Nov 2013
#18
human brains do not finish growing until the mid 20's especially the part that controls
liberal_at_heart
Nov 2013
#27
Depends if there's a system that would permit lifetime detainment if they're
geek tragedy
Nov 2013
#38