In FlagStaff Arizona, news coverage has been heavy. Allegedly an eight year old boy used a 22.-caliber rifle Wednesday to kill his father and another man, Timothy Romans, 39, of San Carlos. His father was a big hunter and taught his son to use the rifle. The boy didn't just do this on a spur, but after a long time of potential abuse. St. Johns Police Chief Roy Melnick said, "I'm not accusing anybody of anything at this point," he said Saturday. "But we're certainly going to look at the abuse part of this. He's 8 years old. He just doesn't decide one day that he's going to shoot his father and shoot his father's friend for no reason. Something led up to this." Under Arizona law, charges can be filed to everyone 8 years of age or older. If the boy is convicted as a minor he could be in juvenile detention until 18 years old, and be charged with murder! Prosecutors don't know where this case is headed. The boy is not the only one who has killed a parent from abuse. According to FBI homicide reports, there were at least three such cases each year in 2003, 2004 and 2005, in 2002 there were 15.
Should the child be convicted with murder? A child doesn't have thoughts of killing their father or loved one unless they hurt them. I believe that in this case and of the few cases that have happened in the past, that it was not their fault. The abuse part played a huge role in why these children do what they do. Charging an 8 year old for murder is really big and almost unethical in this situation. What if he was trying defend himself? Pressing those high of charges might be a little to high because of what the father did. What do you think?
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