High School Kid Sentenced To 15 Years For Plotting To Do His Own Columbine

[Quintillus]

Austin Cook was sentenced to 2 years of community service and 8 years of probation after making a similar threat, albeit without as much evidence:

Jared Cano's attorney discusses options after judge issues 15-year prison sentence

That, plus counseling help, seems more appropriate. It looks like the rough upbringing had a fair amount to do with this (these type of things tend to be related to emotional/mental state, and they certainly appear to be here).

I know of a couple somewhat-related cases in real life, and in both cases things wound up okay without prison. Even the bloke who had a hit list, got caught, etc., went to a juvenile re-education type program for a couple years, but was able to return to school eventually, make some friends, graduate, etc. in much better condition. Last I heard, he's a productive member of society.

 

[innonimatu]

It's not "Minority Report" because he was actually going through the process of doing this.
...
NO! The possession of bomb making material is a crime, and that's one of the charges... he didn't get charged with murder because he didn't murder anyone.

Ah, the Richelieu tactic. No one is innocent, that much is true.

Why tell you are going to blow up something before you actually do it?

Because he was immature and didn't knew what he was saying. But the US must keep its proud tradition of trying to turn immature people young into hardened criminals. Hence, prison it is!

Do those tens of thousands of kids research how to build bombs, gather the supplies for them, and then begin turning those fantasies into reality?

I wish someone really did a research project about exactly that. Put all that blanked information-gathering to some good use. Unfortunately it's impossible. Now. When and if it becomes possible you and all the strict law-and-order crowd may be in for some big surprises.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Do those tens of thousands of kids research how to build bombs, gather the supplies for them, and then begin turning those fantasies into reality?

Do you have facts to support this allegation, which the rest of us have yet to been made privy?

 

[Goodfella]

If I went to Cano's school I'd be slightly scared that the student who plotted to kill me and my classmates is returning as if he'd been on sick leave. But, I'm also aware that adolescence is a pivotal point in human development and thus the most beneficial treatment for Cano would be psychiatric counseling in a juvenile delinquent facility which has been proven to provide positive results in only several months. If Cano is sent to a penitentiary for 15 years he'll be into his 30s and well beyond any point of salvation. His cynical life outlook would merely be cemented by his punishment and further treatment in prison. The best solution is to keep him confined in order to prevent the execution of any other crimes he may have contrived, while rehabilitating him with a child psychiatrist who would be able to determine when he should be admitted to society. As mentioned previously, his treatment could take place in only a matter of months.

 

[NickyJ]

I wish someone really did a research project about exactly that. Put all that blanked information-gathering to some good use. Unfortunately it's impossible. Now. When and if it becomes possible you and all the strict law-and-order crowd may be in for some big surprises.

Considering you admit that nobody has proven it yet, you have no leg to stand on.

Do you have facts to support this allegation, which the rest of us have yet to been made privy?

Do you have any facts to support your allegation that tens of thousands do have those fantasies?

 

[Zelig]

It's not "Minority Report" because he was actually going through the process of doing this.

The entire point of Minority Report is that they were actually going to go through with their crimes.

 

[JohnRM]

This kid obviously needs help, not to be thrown away.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Do you have any facts to support your allegation that tens of thousands do have those fantasies?

So you are alleging that it is quite uncommon for children to engage in fantasies they really have no capability, or even actual desire, to implement?

Do you think this is a suitable response to apparently not having any evidence at all of your own allegation? That we seem to have no idea what actual bomb making material was found in his possession? Only that it was somehow allegedly incomplete?

 

[NickyJ]

So you are alleging that it is quite uncommon for children to engage in fantasies they really have no capability, or even actual desire, to implement?

Fantasizing about going to Disney World? Sure. Fantasizing about massacring people at high school? Yeah, I do think it's uncommon.

Do you think this is a suitable response to apparently not having any evidence at all of your own allegation?

You seemed to have no problem making allegations that it's normal without providing any facts, so I figured you had done away with the concept of facts being necessary. Nice double standard.

That we seem to have no idea what actual bomb making material was found in his possession? Only that it was somehow allegedly incomplete?

According to the article, the defense attorney said he did not "have all the necessary materials to make a bomb." The implications are that he did have some, if not most, of the materials. Unless you are calling out the article you yourself provided, I'm going to take their word for it.

 

[Formaldehyde]

As has already been pointed out, being in possession of nails, bottles, aluminum foil, drain cleaner, and gasoline means you have "bomb making materials". Shouldn't you turn yourself into the authorities?

If you didn't personally know a number of kids who were mentally or emotionally unstable who had violent fantasies while you were growing up, you simply weren't paying any attention.

 

[NickyJ]

As has already been pointed out, being in possession of nails, bottles, and gasoline means you have "bomb making materials". Shouldn't you turn yourself into the authorities?

Where was this pointed out.

And please don't use contre's post as your proof. You're going to need something a lot more solid than that.

And if you didn't personally know a number of kids who were mentally or emotionally unstable while you were growing up and who frequently had violent fantasies, you simply weren't paying any attention.

So THAT is what you cite as facts to back up your statements?

Oh, hey, by the way, if you didn't personally know a number of kids who could flap their arms and fly while you were growing up, you simply weren't paying any attention.