Nathaniel Brazill Case

The Nathaniel Brazill case is one that brings al lot of things to mind. In case the name is not familiar, he's the 13 year old student who, on the last day of school, showed up to his class room, demanded the teacher let him in (he had been expelled) and when the teacher refused, he pulled out a gun pointed it at the teached and killed him.

The argument goes he's only a child. In fact, he's a child who has no concept of right and wrong, no concept of the fact the rational individuals do not chose to resolve arguments with a gun to someone's head.

The boy's mother, Polly Powell, pleads for mercy. This is the same mother who had a chance to teach him during his early childhood something about respect for others and what living is a civilized society should mean.

Is 28 years behind bars an appropriate sentence? I can't answer that question, but treating him as a minor and letting him out at 18 years of age is not the answer as he will still be a danger to others at 18. He was never taught how to live in society, and now at 14 (his current age) he may never learn.

7/27/01
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