Boy guilty of shooting his mother

[HURAKAN]

Boy guilty of shooting his mother

A 12-year-old boy has been found guilty in the United States of murdering his mother following a row over his household chores.

A judge in Arizona ruled prosecutors had proved the boy acted intentionally when he shot his mother, Sara Madrid, eight times last year.

The boy, from the city of Douglas in Cochise County, was found guilty of premeditated murder.

He has not been identified because he was charged as a juvenile.

He is due to be sentenced on 23 January.

The hearing took place in Cochise County Superior Court in the southern Arizona town of Bisbee.

According to prosecutors, the shooting happened after the boy had argued with his mother over chores.

He got a pistol from a bedroom cupboard and shot Sara Madrid repeatedly.

Abuse claims

Her live-in boyfriend of 10 years, Alfonso Munoz, saw what happened and he says the boy gave him the empty gun afterwards.

Mr Munoz, who helped raise the boy, said he had taught him how to use the weapon for emergencies and self-defence.

The boy's lawyer argued the child did not intend to kill his mother, but only wanted to get back at her for abusing him.

Police said the boy told them his mother yelled at him and slapped him.

Prosecutors wanted the child tried as an adult, but the judge ruled the case should remain in juvenile court after a psychologist and psychiatrist testified that he suffered physical and verbal abuse from his mother and could be rehabilitated in the juvenile justice system.

Under Arizona law, the boy can be held only until he turns 18 years of age.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/w ... 810192.stm

[george_r_1961]

Rehabilitated into what? An adult killer?

He should have been tried as an adult and given a life sentence. This was nothing short of premeditated cold blooded murder.

[HURAKAN]

Did not want to hurt her? What about shooting eight times?? I mean, if you want to send a message of "back off" you shoot one time away from the person. But eight times towards the intended target??? Also, verbal or physical abuse doesn't give you the right to kill anyone except if your life is threatened.

[Derek Ortt]

Did not want to hurt her? What about shooting eight times?? I mean, if you want to send a message of "back off" you shoot one time away from the person. But eight times towards the intended target??? Also, verbal or physical abuse doesn't give you the right to kill anyone except if your life is threatened.

no, but it can reduce the conviction to manslaughter

[george_r_1961]

Did not want to hurt her? What about shooting eight times?? I mean, if you want to send a message of "back off" you shoot one time away from the person. But eight times towards the intended target??? Also, verbal or physical abuse doesn't give you the right to kill anyone except if your life is threatened.

no, but it can reduce the conviction to manslaughter

This isnt manslaughter. He went to where the gun was(premeditation) and then returned to his mother and shot her. Not once but EIGHT times.

[Derek Ortt]

Did not want to hurt her? What about shooting eight times?? I mean, if you want to send a message of "back off" you shoot one time away from the person. But eight times towards the intended target??? Also, verbal or physical abuse doesn't give you the right to kill anyone except if your life is threatened.

no, but it can reduce the conviction to manslaughter

This isnt manslaughter. He went to where the gun was(premeditation) and then returned to his mother and shot her. Not once but EIGHT times.

I know, but many times, juries have reduced the sentence to manslaughter when abuse has been proven

[wyq614]

Are there any states in the US whose law prevents people from purchasing guns? In China you'll find it very difficult to get a gun if you're neither a soldier nor a policeman/policewoman, and it's illegal. By trying to get a gun you may get involved in a certain underground mafia-like organization and may be easily checked by the police.

[HurricaneBill]

Are there any states in the US whose law prevents people from purchasing guns? In China you'll find it very difficult to get a gun if you're neither a soldier nor a policeman/policewoman, and it's illegal. By trying to get a gun you may get involved in a certain underground mafia-like organization and may be easily checked by the police.

It varies from state to state.

Gun Laws in the United States (by state)

[george_r_1961]

Are there any states in the US whose law prevents people from purchasing guns? In China you'll find it very difficult to get a gun if you're neither a soldier nor a policeman/policewoman, and it's illegal. By trying to get a gun you may get involved in a certain underground mafia-like organization and may be easily checked by the police.

They could outlaw guns which would mean the street price of one would quadruple and it might take a crook a few more hours at the most to make a score.

[Derek Ortt]

Are there any states in the US whose law prevents people from purchasing guns? In China you'll find it very difficult to get a gun if you're neither a soldier nor a policeman/policewoman, and it's illegal. By trying to get a gun you may get involved in a certain underground mafia-like organization and may be easily checked by the police.

2nd amendment of our Constitution guarantees the rights of private citizens to own guns. A restrictive law in Washington DC was recently struck down by the Supreme Court

[somethingfunny]

Arizona recently charged an 8-year-old as an adult for murder, but they're going to let this 12-year-old walk free when he's 18...