Arizona Boy Sentenced

The New York Times reports on the sentencing of the 8-year-old Arizona boy, now 10, who shot and killed his father and another man. We've discussed the case a number of times including here and here.

A 10-year-old St. Johns boy who was accused of killing his father and another man in November 2008 was ordered to a residential treatment program in Maricopa County. The length of the boy’s stay is unclear, but he will also be placed on intensive probation until he turns 18. The boy was 8 when he was charged in the shooting deaths of his father, Vincent Romero, 29, and his father’s friend, Timothy Romans, 39. The boy pleaded guilty to shooting Mr. Romans and the charges related to his father’s death were dropped as part of a plea deal. A motive has never been made clear.

What is wrong with the folks down there in Arizona? First of all, in one of the early interviews, the boy said he did it because he didn't want to be beaten any more. Now the NYT reports that the "motive has never been made clear?" Maybe we can't blame Arizona for that, huh? But what we can blame them for is the circus-like mishandling of this case from the beginning. The arrest, the early statements by the police, the questions of incompetence, all involving an 8-year-old, made this one of the most outrageous cases we've seen, in my opinion? The way the police were acting like they had a teenage or adult perpetrator on their hands was laughable. They should be ashamed of themselves.

And secondly, the sentencing makes me wonder what kind of place is that "residential treatment program in Maricopa County?" It sounds like a euphemism for the kind of place tough juvenile delinquents are held. THIS BOY IS 10 YEARS OLD. What a travesty.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.