Kip Kinkel Granted Appeal

[speeddemon94]

This was reported this morning on the news. The SH incident is too far gone, and the Boston bombers didn't have big bad guns, so suddenly grant this guy an appeal that has been denied since 2008?

Really? Tell me this is not a blatant excuse to bring the school shootings and gun ban issue back to the forefront.

The news said his appeal is based on the SCOTUS ruling about mandatory sentencing. This is another perfect example of what the hell is wrong in this country.

I can not, for the life of me, find a link. It was on KATU while I was cooking breakfast this morning.

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[jb11]

Wow!

 

[One-Eyed Ross]

I doubt that this is related in any way, I think it's just the court system working it's way....slowly but surely.

If it was going to be done for "dramatic effect" it would have come out right after the shooting in Sandy Hook, at least in my opinion.

 

[speeddemon94]

I think they want to get traction for the Oregon bills. I don't think the federal stuff has much chance at this point, but OR will be really close.

 

[pchewn]

It's because of a recent court ruling on giving kids mandatory sentences. So the appeal is not for the crime, but for the sentencing.

See here: Kip Kinkel uses landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling to challenge sentence | OregonLive.com

 

[speeddemon94]

Yeah, well should have just been put to death in the first place. Then none of this convoluted legal crap would ever be an issue.

 

[RoneKiln]

I did a psych anal on Kip Kinkel during my psych undergrad (limited, as I could not interview him directly). Listening to the recordings of him immediately after they caught him was heart breaking. He just kept screaming he wanted to die and to shoot him for about 48 hours before they calmed him down. He was not anywhere close to being in his right mind.

Part of his appeals now is tied to the possible impact the meds he had been on had on him, and the failure of anyone involved in his case to recognize it at the time. I've several times posted on this site about how dangerous common antidepressants and psychoactive drugs can be to some people and the need for improved follow-up care. I'm not trying to stand up for what the kid did, there's no excuse. There is a reason though and we can learn about the reasons from him and try to reduce the chances of it happening again. I hope he keeps fighting this not because I have any interest in his position being improved, but because I hope it increases awareness of a major concern with these drugs.