South Hadley, MA Bullying-Suicide Incident

[Excel]

Curious to hear some thoughts because its going on 10 minutes from where I live. Been on FOX CNN, Today, GMA, People Mag, ect. so IDK if you've heard of it or not. Basically, students at a high school bullied a girl into taking her own life in January, and today were indicted for it.

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/update_6_indicted_in_phoebe_pr.html

There's some debate going on about whether or not these kids can be found guilty of someone else's suicide, ect. What do you guys think?

 

[bell110]

Well, not found guilty of someone's suicide, but definately found guilty of the crimes committed against her that drove her to suicide, sure.

 

[StorminNorman]

The fact a 17 year old can be charged with statutory rape of a 15 year old is criminal in itself.

 

[AG1973]

The fact a 17 year old can be charged with statutory rape of a 15 year old is criminal in itself.

This whole case is extreme and absurd at the same time...

 

[Kelly]

It's just sad...

 

[Excel]

This whole case is extreme and absurd at the same time...

Tell me about it. Its impossible to have a reasonable conversation about it.

SH Res: Its so sad. Such an innocent child bullied to suicide.

XL: Well, it's certainly sad, but the only reason she was bullied was because she had sex with two of her bullyers boyfriends. I think they had a right to be upset at her about the fact, even if they got extremely carried away.

SH Res: You insenstive BASTARD!

 

[bell110]

The fact a 17 year old can be charged with statutory rape of a 15 year old is criminal in itself.

Please enlighten us to understand Massachusetts statutory rape laws. And it's the prosecution's job to prove that the charge is legit. It's not criminal to charge them with it.

 

[Anubis]

Should be, what with all the wasted money on lawyers, legal fees, etc.

 

[bell110]

What should be?

 

[Anubis]

I don't know, I'm kinda drunk.

I was thinking that the prosecution or at least the state should be held accountable for charging people with crimes they know damn well wont stick. Just wasting tax payers money, as well as the people they're charging. But that's a whole other conversation I guess. Fact is, they can get the dudes on statutory rape, which is bulls**t in my opinion. (2 years, please. Is that worth having to register as a sex offender for the rest of your life? Really?) And maybe they can get the girls for harassment, but murder? Involuntary Manslaughter? No way. And wasting time and money for it is just some boos**t.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Agreed.

I still can't believe we have sex offender lists in the country still.

 

[Tao43]

Agreed.

I still can't believe we have sex offender lists in the country still.

I am actually glad we have sex offender lists.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Most people are because they are under the assumption that sex offender lists only punish criminals who want to eat your kids and that they always keep you safe from evil pedophiles. In reality the majority of the people on the national sex offender registry were charged with crimes that do not include violent sexual behavior (streaking, public urination, lewd conduct, statutory rape [remember the 17 year old who had sex with a 15 year old], etc). Of those that are included that were charged with a violent sexual crime they should pose no risk to you because they have sentenced for their crime and they have served their time in jail.

Imagine that you did a very bad thing. That you went to jail for it, became rehabilitated and were put back into society only to find out that everyone around you knows about your past and they all hate you. They are afraid of you and disgusted by you.

Congratulations welcome to cruel and unusual punishment.

 

[Tao43]

Most people are because they are under the assumption that sex offender lists only punish criminals who want to eat your kids and that they always keep you safe from evil pedophiles. In reality the majority of the people on the national sex offender registry were charged with crimes that do not include violent sexual behavior (streaking, public urination, lewd conduct, statutory rape [remember the 17 year old who had sex with a 15 year old], etc). Of those that are included that were charged with a violent sexual crime they should pose no risk to you because they have sentenced for their crime and they have served their time in jail.

Imagine that you did a very bad thing. That you went to jail for it, became rehabilitated and were put back into society only to find out that everyone around you knows about your past and they all hate you. They are afraid of you and disgusted by you.

Congratulations welcome to cruel and unusual punishment.

I admit that there are problems with some of the reasons why people are required to register, but it is good to know who the true deviants are. They are out there and as a parent I don't want my child around them.

 

[Majic Walrus]

I admit that there are problems with some of the reasons why people are required to register, but it is good to know who the true deviants are. They are out there and as a parent I don't want my child around them.

But are you really sure who the true deviants are? What about deviants that haven't been arrested?

 

[Tao43]

But are you really sure who the true deviants are? What about deviants that haven't been arrested?

Let me rephrase it this way then. I want to know where the rapists and pedophiles that have been convicted without a shadow of a doubt are in my community. As for the ones that haven't been arrested, that is a chance everyone takes. Whether it be rapists, thieves, gang members, serial killers, etc.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Why should it be your business that someone in the past made a mistake that they have already paid for?

 

[Tao43]

Why should it be your business that someone in the past made a mistake that they have already paid for?

I believe it should be public knowledge for the protection of family and community. There are studies that show sex offenders are likely to be arrested for a sex crime within three years of release. Sex crimes tend to be pretty heinous. Rapists are bad enough, but child molesters are the lowest form of scum on the planet.

How many times have you seen a news story where a child molester is arrested for the same crime? Or repeat rapists?

Have you ever seen what the victims of these crimes go through? It's not pretty. A good friend of mine was raped ten or twelve years ago and still has problems dealing with it.

The need to protect a criminals alleged right to privacy does not outweigh the rights of the victims or the right to protect families from them.

 

[Majic Walrus]

As horrible as child molesters and rapists and those repeat offenders are, imagine the number of people that are put on the sex offenders list without need.

Again most of the people on the sex offender list are there because of a minor offense. Peeing on a bush somewhere, streaking, and things are are just barely criminal. Why should those people be paying the same price as rapists?

And let's talk about the effect of being on the registered sex offenders list after you're released from jail. Trouble getting work, trouble making friends, trouble acclimating yourself to society at large again. It's a recipe for disaster.

The point is that if you get arrested for a crime. You pay the penalty. You're done with that part of your life. That's the way it's supposed to be because let's be honest, if those people were really still dangerous... shouldn't they still be in jail?

 

[Anubis]

Maybe pedophilia and rape (I mean real rape not Statutory) should be a life sentence.

 

[Majic Walrus]

Now that is a smart idea.

 

[BlackLantern]

have trouble making friends?? don't diddle kids