Topic: I... don't know what to say to this...

[Blitzy]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100404/ap_on_re_us/us_teen_sister_sex

TRENTON, N.J. – Two men and three teenage boys were charged Saturday with gang-raping a 7-year-old girl who was sold by her 15-year-old stepsister during a party at a crime-ridden apartment building in the state's capital, police said.

Details of the arrests were announced at a Saturday evening news conference outside police headquarters. Police Director Irving Bradley said detectives had been working around the clock since the crime was reported March 28.

"We did get a lot of cooperation from the community, which helped break this case," Bradley said.

Those arrested included Gregory Joseph Leary, 20, in custody since Friday, when he was charged with having sex with the 15-year-old. The other four are Timear Lewis, 19, and boys ages 13, 14 and 17. Each was charged with aggravated sexual assault and child endangerment.

These are the times when I do think those younger teens need to be charged as adults, and that they all need to be castrated. There is NO REASON for this. Absolutely none. And that girls stepsister? Should be tried just as hard.

[Schrödinger]

These are the times when I do think those younger teens need to be charged as adults,

Won't work. Each'll get a 10 year service, give or take, the teenage children get in touch with criminal elements and will very likely not amount to anything at best, get shanked because they raped a child at worst. The children are to be tried as children, will go through the psychological hoops as children, and will never be able to forget the atrocity of their crimes forever.

and that they all need to be castrated.

While hilarious, this won't amount to anything besides them being unable to procreate. I wholeheartedly welcome as much, but I believe we're well past capital punishment even if the parties are guilty as charged.

There is NO REASON for this. Absolutely none. And that girls stepsister? Should be tried just as hard.

Hope she will. Inexcusable and to be tried to the fullest extent of the law if they are found guilty.

Let's drink and dull ourselves to the fact this world knows terrible people.  ftge

[Oniya]

The whole thing is disturbing, but as far as the future of the assailants - I'm most concerned about the fact that these males (I won't even dignify them with the term men) apparently saw nothing wrong with a 7-year-old as a sex object!  I don't care how many mind-altering substances, legal or otherwise, were consumed.  At some point, one of them thought 'hey, this is a good idea!'  And then the rest of them went along with it!

[Merry Gentry]

By far one of the more disturbing things to be discovered in a long time.
Just when you thought you'd heard it all... ew!
That poor little girl! Just creeps me out to no end to think that people like this, and worse! even exist in the world.

[OldSchoolGamer]

You know...there are times I think we should bring back firing squads.

This is one of those times.

[Blitzy]

Utah has firing squads.

Utah uses firing squads (sometimes).

I kinda like Utah at the moment.

[Paladin]

The only punishment for this situation is death. Plain and simple, and I don't mean our weak little leathal injections. I think drawing and quartering should be nrought back in situations like this.

[Zebu]

Why, exactly?  If you want people who would do something like this GONE, permanently, I can definitely understand.  But what difference does it make how they die?  The results are the same, right?  Except drawing and quartering is a lot harder to clean up after.

[Oniya]

Why, exactly?  If you want people who would do something like this GONE, permanently, I can definitely understand.  But what difference does it make how they die?  The results are the same, right?  Except drawing and quartering is a lot harder to clean up after.

Deterrence is the classic explanation.  A slow, painful death administered fairly swiftly is supposedly more of a punishment than a pinprick leading to (supposedly) swift oblivion.

[TheLovelyMaid]

I just wonder what kind of world we live in, that this sort of thing happens.

[Zebu]

Deterrence is the classic explanation.  A slow, painful death administered fairly swiftly is supposedly more of a punishment than a pinprick leading to (supposedly) swift oblivion.

So the idea is that some drunken juvenile thugs hopped up on who knows what at a party who get offered a female (single digit age or not) are going to stop and say, "Heck no, man, I don't wanna get my limbs ripped off"?  Eh, maybe.  All I know is that teenagers feel immortal when they're sober.  But seriously, with all the information on STDs floating around, if the threat of that hideous fate doesn't work I'm skeptical about how effective quarterings (public or no) would be.

Although "administered fairly swiftly" is an interesting thought.  What would the impact be if that article included a note on the sentencing of the six, rather than just the charges?

[Oniya]

The 'administered fairly swiftly' is in regards to the fact that all death penalty cases are given an automatic appeal.  Many people on death row actually die in prison of natural causes, rather than any sort of execution.

[OldSchoolGamer]

The 'administered fairly swiftly' is in regards to the fact that all death penalty cases are given an automatic appeal.  Many people on death row actually die in prison of natural causes, rather than any sort of execution.

It is rather frustrating.  I can, of course, understand wanting to avoid any margin of error.

But in this case, I'd be down for a firing squad.  I wouldn't want a form of execution that is designed to be slow or torturous...but on the other hand, I see no need to take huge steps to spare these cretins all discomfort and pain associated with dying.

[Spell]

When I read things like these it really upsets me that the current law system where I live is flawed. For these crimes the offenders would probably get a max of five years, tops over here, with a high chance of being put in a mental clinic here immediately, in which you are allowed a relative amount of freedom, and a high possibility on getting on free-feet within two years (Although monitored to a degree). On top of that, the prisons here are often compared to hotels, and such is very much true here.

[Secretwriter]

An eye for an eye. In cases like this, I feel that the villains should get exactly what they gave. Times three.  Then death.  It should be televised.

[Cheka Man]

Part of me says, if they are guilty...excute them.. but we do have to remember that vile as they are...they didn't as far as we know murder anybody.The death penalty should be kept for murder and for cases of mutiny and treason that result in death for someone else, in my view.

[Xenophile]

Seeing things like these makes me instantly want to reconsider my stance on capital punishment. Passion and instinct demand these terrible examples of mankind to suffer the ultimate punishment for their crimes, however, if death is a excusable punishment for this abhorrent crime.... Then the state would be tainted as a murderer.

So, I'm going to advocate savage abuse and beatings on them instead.

But in all seriousness, there's something severely wrong with all individuals involved. This case needs extreme scrutiny to determine what happened. If the youngest of the criminals where coerced or forced to participate (as difficult this is for me to say as I believe that everyone above the age of 10 has some kind of ethical compass, this needs to be said), this could be considered a circumstance that needs to be considered in their judgement.

An example needs to be set. But we cannot set a example that entails bloody retribution and medieval justice, as it would only broadcast to the world how violent and de-humanizing the legal system can become when emotions are involved. Even at the shadow of this despicable violation, a fair trail is mandatory. As much as it makes me frown with disgust to imagine the torment of the 7 year old girl, the bastards have rights even when they don't deserve them.

[Cheka Man]

Whilst they are on trial and legally innocent, they deserve rights, just in case they are indeed not guilty. If convicted, one appeal and then send them to gen-pop in pink uniforms with CHILD RAPIST on the front and back.

[Oniya]

You won't need the pink uniforms.  Information like that 'gets around' quickly enough without it.

[Xenophile]

Yeah, that enough should work as deterrent.

Somehow, it strengthens my faith in mankind when even the most hardcore of criminals can join forces and come together when there's a pedophile in their midst.

[Oniya]

The theory I heard was that many criminals were abused as children, and a child killer or child rapist is therefore a way to get revenge.

[Xenophile]

It'd make some sense, I suppose. But I'd prefer to delude myself and think that deep down, even criminals can feels bad for kids.

[GeekFury]

There almost 2 reports of this a month now here in the UK I think the youngest was four under ten year old boys who gang raped another boy of I think five, but we've had it of all ages between five and fifteen raping or gang raping other children, and I agree with TheLovelyMaid in that what the hell kind of world are we living in when kids get these ideas, especially ones so young. Goes to show the break down in society today.

[Xenophile]

Break of society today? I'm sorry, but this phenomena isn't new.

[WhiteyChan]

I was nearly gang-raped when I was 15.

Interesting fact that very few people actually know about me. So, yes, you can probably imagine how I feel about this.