>

Like the one witness said: "'That couldn't happen.' People don't run across the street and kill kids."
I have so many questions but I'm glad the family isn't going to be put through having to testify and the appeals process.
And still no motive or any sort of explanation for wtf this guy was thinking. >

He wasn't thinking. Probably just some white noise in that head... if he thought for a split second, he wouldn't have shot a child in the head. >

Fucking sad excuse of a human. >

Imma assume he had public defenders and I bet they think the same thing >

There's seriously no integrity in journalism anymore. Every article I read about this says something different. One said he was shot in his own yard, another said the neighbors yard, another said in the street and yet another said it actually happened in his own driveway. One article even went as far to claim he was first run over, then shot. 
Some said he had an attorney, some said he didn't. Some said he was getting life, some said he was getting death. I can't help but think all these embellishments are put in to just rile people up and get more shares. Despite the verdict this is still an ongoing investigation and nobody really knows exactly what happened or why. >

This is what good editors should be well paid for. A good editing staff would reject an inaccurate write up. >

Who is going to pay for editors? We collectively decided we don’t want to pay for news. Give me hashtags and 280 characters max. >

I wouldn’t mind paying for news, if they actually removed all the ridiculous ads upon doing so though. >

I pay for WAPO. No adds on the web site. Occasional one on the atrocity that is the app. I don't need it popping up every day on my Kindle, Jeff. I'm already reading it and paying you. Fuck off. >

shit, this is just awful >

No motive.
Probably mental health or got strung out on drugs.
Sad. >

Doubt it......previous conviction for a felon possesing a firearm. >

There are plenty of felons possessing firearms that would never cross the street to put a bullet in a 5 year old's head. >

Because being a felon, even having committed a violent felony, doesn't mean you want to hurt children. >

Sadder than this? >

Sensible act with sound reasoning in sure nodding >

At least he had enough remorse to take the life in prison Alford plea, and spare everyone testifying. >

Why would you think he's doing this for anybody but himself?
He avoided death by going this route.  Completely self-serving. >


Under an Alford plea, a defendant can maintain his or her innocence while acknowledging prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction.

Why is this allowed? He killed a fucking kid, but we're gonna let him say he didn't do it. >

If he went to trial and the jury convicted him, he could still say he didn't do it.
Who cares as long as he serves his sentence? >

I'm in UK & I don't understand reasons for alford plea. I mean it sounds like a mealy-mouthed way of saying "im guilty but really don't want to admit it".  Is the sentence the same if you plead guilty or use the alford plea? If so, I really don't see the point of it. >

The judge finds the defendant guilty all the same and the sentence is the exact same.
A no contest plea is saying I'm guilty, just not fighting it.  
A guilty plea is saying, "yes, I did it."
An Alfred plea is entering a guilty plea, while maintaining innocence, but getting sentenced as if you plead guilty.  Usually, it to take advantage of some plea agreement.  This guy got life in prison, so the only thing else could be the death penalty. 
The prosecutor probably did it to save the victim's family of a circus of a trial and reliving the trauma.
The courts in America can't make a defendant plead guilty.  A prosecutor could refuse to take an Alfred plea and force the case to jury trial, but if the defendant is getting sentenced the same way under either plea, then it has no effect on the sentence.
The term "Alfred plea" is based on a US Supreme Court case North Carolina v. Alfred from 1970. >

So what is the point of it? Is it just to allow the perp to cling to the idea that they are innocent? >

Sort of. >

Thanks for the explanation. It still seems a bit baffling to me. I can't see who benefits from it compared to just pleading guilty. Except maybe the perp's ego. >

The guy got off light but watch out.  Even hardcore prisoners have soft heart to young children.  When they find out he killed five year old just like that they won't like it. >

Light? He got life in prison. >

A 5 year old was executed, and his brother and sister have to live with witnessing his execution.
He has a life, something that cannot be said for the executed 5 year or the effects on the family. >

FWIW, NC has basically outlawed the death penalty in all but writing. >

I prefer the Chinese approach - his organs should be recycled to give life. >

he's not falun gong or political >

They do it for death row criminals to. >

This was the case that, when it happened, right wingers were like, “wHy IsN’t ThE mAiNsTrEaM mEdIA cOvErInG tHiS?” because they genuinely thought only white killers of black people (George Floyd) made the news.
A quick Google search proved all these racists wrong. >

This is the first I’m hearing about it. And it’s not from a big media source. It’s Reddit. >

Oh nice. One story a year and a half ago and when he gets sentenced, crickets. >

Murdered a 5 year old. You go playa, gangsta, enjoy your short, pain-filled life of suffering in prison. Irredeemable piece of human garbage. A truly rotten animal. >

Why the need to bring racial tropes into this? He’s a monster; don’t make “playas” and “gangstas” somehow answerable to this (like you said) piece of human garbage. >

Fucken bizarre. Like an incomprehensible nonsensical thing to do. I hate that he isn't going to be out to death. >

Should’ve been a hate crime. >

Define hate crime… >

It was a crime and I hate it? >

Every time I hear someone say there is no place for the death penalty I hope they read this poor kids story.
Fuck this piece of shit. We should kill him and make every second of it excruciating. >

I'm personally for the death penalty, but you dont seem to understand why some people are against it. I'm pretty sure it's not because they defending someone like this guy. >

Oh I do. It’s because somebody somewhere was wrongly executed and to them that is proof that the death penalty system is beyond repair and should thus be abolished. Or that the current system of endless appeals that we have in place costs more than simply letting them rot for the rest of their lives.
Look, I’m in 100% agreement that our current system as it stands needs dramatic improvement. There have undoubtedly been tons of executions of people wrongly convicted and we need to make sure that doesn’t happen. But it’s not like it’s very hard to do that in this day and age with DNA technology and near ubiquitous surveillance video coverage in our society.
-Multiple eyewitnesses saw it happen
-Physical evidence definitely proves it’s him
-Heinous crime that shows he is beyond any chance of rehabilitation
There is zero doubt that this guy did it. And I don’t mean “beyond a reasonable doubt”. There is literally a zero chance that someone other than this man committed the crime. If I had it my way he would get no appeals and go straight to the fucking chair. Don’t pass go, don’t collect $200. No final meal. Straight from that courtroom to the goddamn chair. >

I feel the same way about most of the "mass shooters".  We know who they are, guilt is not a question at all and there is absolutely nothing short of the death penalty that could be called "justice".
They should be Timothy McVeighed. >

Should be executed by Hornets >

Extrajudicial killings in prison make us look bad as a country. >

And shooting 5 year olds in the head doesn't? He won't last long. Good riddance I say and IDGAF how it makes me look. >

Of course it does. That’s why he’s in prison for it. >

Because killing him isn't going to help them recover either. >

Are you speaking from experience ? >

Are you speaking from experience? When has vengeance brought you peace? >

Any sort of vengeance? Often. >

So you find yourself on a regular basis needing to get revenge on people? It sounds like you consider yourself a victim in a lot of circumstances. Working on that instead of doubling down on being a vengeful person is gonna do a lot more for you in the long run. >

I’m a contractor, I get fucked by other contractors and subs often. Without vengeance, fuckings happen more often. >

This agreement keeps the family, especially the witnesses who are children, from the trauma of a trial. >

I'm so okay with that too. No need for that family to have to go through all that. I hope they can find some peace. So sad. >

give him to Hammurabi treatment instead of making the kids family pay for the guy to eat >

It's more expensive to pay for the state to execute someone than it is to give them life in prison >

This varies greatly depending on the state. California it’s absolutely true as there is a mandated appeals process for any death penalty sentence.
Texas? Get the fuck outta here, they’d offer volume discounts if they could. >

i am happy this guy is in prison for life >

Maybe to keep people from assuming it was a relative? >

Yeah, I agree the fact they were a neighbor is relevant. Frequently it is from a relative.