![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
A thirteen year old boy was denied, by his teacher, to talk to two girls in the classroom. He pulled out a gun and shot and killed the teacher. They boy says it was an accident; he only meant to scare the teacher. The judge sentenced him to 28 years for second degree murder.
It appears the judge believed that it was an accident.
The victim's family and friends were outraged that the boy didn't recieve life in prison. They said "That's the only way we can be sure he won't hurt someone again."
I think there are a lot of people they should put away, to make sure they won't hurt anyone. And while they're at it, they should raise the drinking age to 30. That would prevent thousands of deaths by drunk driving. And they might as well raise the driving age too. Hundreds of people are killed every day in cars.
They also said it was "... an insult to Barry's [the teacher] memory." Why is that? Are they certain the man would have wanted the boy to be locked up forever for an accident?
The boy said "Words cannot really explain how sorry I an, but they're all I have."
He'd better be damn sorry. Sorry enough never to try anything like that again.
But he's going to appeal the sentence. Not that sorry, I guess.
Fla. Teen Gets 28 Years for Killing
By AMANDA RIDDLE
Associated Press Writer
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Circuit Judge Richard Wennet
didn't explain how he arrived at the punishment for convicted
killer Nathaniel Brazill, but experts said the boy's age and the
judge's experience as a father were key factors.
Wennet, a father of three teen-age sons, sentenced the
14-year-old to 28 years in prison for killing his favorite teacher in
a fit of rage last year. Brazill faced 25 years to life in prison.
``You don't drop your life experiences and your knowledge about
what goes on immediately with you at the door when you walk
into a courtroom,'' Assistant Public Defender Randy Berman said.
``Everything about a judge is going to come into play.''
Wennet had listened to
a week of testimony
about how Brazill shot
Barry Grunow, 35, once
between the eyes on the final day of school last
year. He heard prosecutors say the teen was
``scary'' and defense attorney Robert Udell call him
``one of the finest young men I've ever met.''
The silver-haired judge with a trademark bow tie
was elected to the bench in 1984. He is rarely
overturned on appeal, but scored in the bottom
third of circuit judges in most categories in a county
Bar Association poll of judges.
The teen showed the blank expression he had
throughout his trial when the sentence was read. He
apologized at Thursday's sentencing hearing for the killing, but remained steadfast that he
didn't mean to hurt Grunow, whom he called a ``great man and a great teacher.''
Brazill had returned to school after being suspended by a counselor earlier that day for
throwing water balloons. He shot Grunow after the English teacher refused to let him talk to
two girls in his class.
The case, along with that of a 14-year-old serving life in prison in
the death of a playmate, renewed criticisms of Florida's law that
allows prosecutors to try juveniles as adults and subject them to
mandatory prison sentences. Lionel Tate said he was imitating
pro wrestlers when he beat 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick to death.
But unlike Wennet, the judge sentencing Tate earlier this year on
a first-degree murder conviction had no choice but to issue a
mandatory life term.
Berman said Wennet's toughest decision was made at last
month's hearing, when he ruled Brazill must be sentenced under
a Florida gun-crime law that requires a mandatory minimum of
25 years for offenders who hurt or kill someone with a gun during
a crime.
Without the law, Wennet would have had more discretion to go
under sentencing guidelines of 25 years to life in prison.
``He had already basically given himself the bottom range,'' Berman
said. ``Knowing 25 years was the minimum, my impression is that he did
show leniency in his sentencing.''
Grunow's family pleaded with the judge to issue a life sentence. They
said Brazill must be punished for the murder and would be a danger to
society.
Psychologists and defense lawyers said Brazill could be rehabilitated and
one day become a productive member of society.
``I'm sure judge Wennet gave it a lot of thought,'' said Circuit Judge
Howard Berman, who handles criminal cases. ``A life was taken, there
was no reason, it was just senseless. You always hope there's some rehabilitation. I'm sure
judge Wennet considered all of that.''
It appears the judge believed that it was an accident.
The victim's family and friends were outraged that the boy didn't recieve life in prison. They said "That's the only way we can be sure he won't hurt someone again."
I think there are a lot of people they should put away, to make sure they won't hurt anyone. And while they're at it, they should raise the drinking age to 30. That would prevent thousands of deaths by drunk driving. And they might as well raise the driving age too. Hundreds of people are killed every day in cars.
They also said it was "... an insult to Barry's [the teacher] memory." Why is that? Are they certain the man would have wanted the boy to be locked up forever for an accident?
The boy said "Words cannot really explain how sorry I an, but they're all I have."
He'd better be damn sorry. Sorry enough never to try anything like that again.
But he's going to appeal the sentence. Not that sorry, I guess.
Fla. Teen Gets 28 Years for Killing
By AMANDA RIDDLE
Associated Press Writer
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Circuit Judge Richard Wennet
didn't explain how he arrived at the punishment for convicted
killer Nathaniel Brazill, but experts said the boy's age and the
judge's experience as a father were key factors.
Wennet, a father of three teen-age sons, sentenced the
14-year-old to 28 years in prison for killing his favorite teacher in
a fit of rage last year. Brazill faced 25 years to life in prison.
``You don't drop your life experiences and your knowledge about
what goes on immediately with you at the door when you walk
into a courtroom,'' Assistant Public Defender Randy Berman said.
``Everything about a judge is going to come into play.''
Wennet had listened to
a week of testimony
about how Brazill shot
Barry Grunow, 35, once
between the eyes on the final day of school last
year. He heard prosecutors say the teen was
``scary'' and defense attorney Robert Udell call him
``one of the finest young men I've ever met.''
The silver-haired judge with a trademark bow tie
was elected to the bench in 1984. He is rarely
overturned on appeal, but scored in the bottom
third of circuit judges in most categories in a county
Bar Association poll of judges.
The teen showed the blank expression he had
throughout his trial when the sentence was read. He
apologized at Thursday's sentencing hearing for the killing, but remained steadfast that he
didn't mean to hurt Grunow, whom he called a ``great man and a great teacher.''
Brazill had returned to school after being suspended by a counselor earlier that day for
throwing water balloons. He shot Grunow after the English teacher refused to let him talk to
two girls in his class.
The case, along with that of a 14-year-old serving life in prison in
the death of a playmate, renewed criticisms of Florida's law that
allows prosecutors to try juveniles as adults and subject them to
mandatory prison sentences. Lionel Tate said he was imitating
pro wrestlers when he beat 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick to death.
But unlike Wennet, the judge sentencing Tate earlier this year on
a first-degree murder conviction had no choice but to issue a
mandatory life term.
Berman said Wennet's toughest decision was made at last
month's hearing, when he ruled Brazill must be sentenced under
a Florida gun-crime law that requires a mandatory minimum of
25 years for offenders who hurt or kill someone with a gun during
a crime.
Without the law, Wennet would have had more discretion to go
under sentencing guidelines of 25 years to life in prison.
``He had already basically given himself the bottom range,'' Berman
said. ``Knowing 25 years was the minimum, my impression is that he did
show leniency in his sentencing.''
Grunow's family pleaded with the judge to issue a life sentence. They
said Brazill must be punished for the murder and would be a danger to
society.
Psychologists and defense lawyers said Brazill could be rehabilitated and
one day become a productive member of society.
``I'm sure judge Wennet gave it a lot of thought,'' said Circuit Judge
Howard Berman, who handles criminal cases. ``A life was taken, there
was no reason, it was just senseless. You always hope there's some rehabilitation. I'm sure
judge Wennet considered all of that.''
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2001-07-28 10:53 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2001-07-28 11:13 am (UTC)From:Yikes.
Re:
Date: 2001-07-28 11:27 am (UTC)From: