Little League Tragedy vs. Reckless Driving
This was a show on Oprah not too long ago, and I just want to hear some peoples opinions. I already talked to my sister about this and we have very differing opinions so let's hear yours too.
Little League Tragedy:
As told my Oprah.com: According to eyewitnesses, L.G. was standing in line at the snack bar when Jeremy approached and started to tease and push L.G. Moments later, L.G. pulled his bat from his bag and swung at Jeremy twice: hitting him first in the leg, and then in the head. Jeremy was rushed to the emergency room and was pronounced dead two hours later. L.G.—who had no history of violence or criminal behavior—was taken into police custody and was later convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 12 years of confinement in a youth detention center. Interview with LG's parents: They say that the reason L.G. pulled the bat out of his bag was that he was scared of Jeremy, who was older and bigger. The Harrises say Jeremy weighed 190 pounds and L.G. weighed 87 pounds. "I think it was more of a fear factor for him with the size difference, and it just escalated," Gigi says. "[The teasing] would not stop; it just kept going and going. And he didn't know how to get himself out of the situation … because he hasn't been in a confrontation [like that]." Interview with Jeremy's parents: the Rourkes made a statement in which they asked that L.G. not be vilified for Jeremy's death. They also stated that they preferred for L.G. to be tried as a juvenile and not as an adult, removing the chance that L.G. would be given a life sentence. "He was a good boy, and he made a bad mistake," Angela, Jeremy's mother, says. Jeremy's parents disagree with the Harrises about the fairness of L.G.'s sentence. "If [L.G.] were tried as an adult," Brian, Jeremy's father, reasons, "he would have gotten 15 to life. "
Reckless Driving:
The man in the show had lost his wife and daughter due to the fact that a teenage boy decided to drag race down the street. Bruce witnessed his wife 's van blow up and experienced the very real death of the people he loved most. While angry at the boy who had killed his family by making one stupid choice, he chose to offer that boy forgiveness and even I dare to say grace. After the death of his family, he spents 3 years looking to convict Justin for the death of his wife and daughter. He even quit his job, hired an investigator and paid thousands to have Justin put behind bars. As stated on oprah.com: "I was outraged," Bruce says. "I was still numb from having lost my wife and my daughter, but I was very outraged. I thought, you know, [it was] over something so stupid and careless that two innocent people were killed." He finally got what he wanted too. He was in a Florida court, face-to-face with the person who had killed his family. Justin was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide. He pled guilty to all charges and was awaiting sentencing when he received an unexpected request. And then a twist... Bruce's heart softened and he decided to meet with Justin to hear what Justin had to say. Oprah.com: "I thought, what good is it going to do putting this kid in prison for 30 years?" Bruce says. "Everyone's going to forget about him. Everyone's going to forget [about] Cindy and Chelsea. And I felt that there was a better way to handle this. I chose to, number one, forgive him for what he had done." For the first eight minutes of the meeting, Justin says he was too emotional to speak. Then, Bruce handed him some tissues, and the words came pouring out. "I immediately asked for forgiveness," Justin says. "I told him I was sorry and that I never intended for any of this to happen." Bruce spoke to his sons soon after the meeting, and they decided to make a plea agreement with Justin. Instead of the possible 30 years in prison, Justin was sentenced to eight years of probation, two years of house arrest, 300 hours of community service and a five-year license revocation. And now... Justin & Bruce travel together to high schools to teach them the dangers of irrational driving.
Sorry that was so long, but now I want to hear your opinions. Do you think the punishment for scenario one was too strong or perhaps you even feel too weak? Do you think that Justin got off too easy? Whats your opinions on it all? Justice? Grace? Forgiveness? And what would you do in the situation?
Little League Tragedy:
As told my Oprah.com: According to eyewitnesses, L.G. was standing in line at the snack bar when Jeremy approached and started to tease and push L.G. Moments later, L.G. pulled his bat from his bag and swung at Jeremy twice: hitting him first in the leg, and then in the head. Jeremy was rushed to the emergency room and was pronounced dead two hours later. L.G.—who had no history of violence or criminal behavior—was taken into police custody and was later convicted of second-degree murder. He was sentenced to 12 years of confinement in a youth detention center. Interview with LG's parents: They say that the reason L.G. pulled the bat out of his bag was that he was scared of Jeremy, who was older and bigger. The Harrises say Jeremy weighed 190 pounds and L.G. weighed 87 pounds. "I think it was more of a fear factor for him with the size difference, and it just escalated," Gigi says. "[The teasing] would not stop; it just kept going and going. And he didn't know how to get himself out of the situation … because he hasn't been in a confrontation [like that]." Interview with Jeremy's parents: the Rourkes made a statement in which they asked that L.G. not be vilified for Jeremy's death. They also stated that they preferred for L.G. to be tried as a juvenile and not as an adult, removing the chance that L.G. would be given a life sentence. "He was a good boy, and he made a bad mistake," Angela, Jeremy's mother, says. Jeremy's parents disagree with the Harrises about the fairness of L.G.'s sentence. "If [L.G.] were tried as an adult," Brian, Jeremy's father, reasons, "he would have gotten 15 to life. "
Reckless Driving:
The man in the show had lost his wife and daughter due to the fact that a teenage boy decided to drag race down the street. Bruce witnessed his wife 's van blow up and experienced the very real death of the people he loved most. While angry at the boy who had killed his family by making one stupid choice, he chose to offer that boy forgiveness and even I dare to say grace. After the death of his family, he spents 3 years looking to convict Justin for the death of his wife and daughter. He even quit his job, hired an investigator and paid thousands to have Justin put behind bars. As stated on oprah.com: "I was outraged," Bruce says. "I was still numb from having lost my wife and my daughter, but I was very outraged. I thought, you know, [it was] over something so stupid and careless that two innocent people were killed." He finally got what he wanted too. He was in a Florida court, face-to-face with the person who had killed his family. Justin was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide. He pled guilty to all charges and was awaiting sentencing when he received an unexpected request. And then a twist... Bruce's heart softened and he decided to meet with Justin to hear what Justin had to say. Oprah.com: "I thought, what good is it going to do putting this kid in prison for 30 years?" Bruce says. "Everyone's going to forget about him. Everyone's going to forget [about] Cindy and Chelsea. And I felt that there was a better way to handle this. I chose to, number one, forgive him for what he had done." For the first eight minutes of the meeting, Justin says he was too emotional to speak. Then, Bruce handed him some tissues, and the words came pouring out. "I immediately asked for forgiveness," Justin says. "I told him I was sorry and that I never intended for any of this to happen." Bruce spoke to his sons soon after the meeting, and they decided to make a plea agreement with Justin. Instead of the possible 30 years in prison, Justin was sentenced to eight years of probation, two years of house arrest, 300 hours of community service and a five-year license revocation. And now... Justin & Bruce travel together to high schools to teach them the dangers of irrational driving.
Sorry that was so long, but now I want to hear your opinions. Do you think the punishment for scenario one was too strong or perhaps you even feel too weak? Do you think that Justin got off too easy? Whats your opinions on it all? Justice? Grace? Forgiveness? And what would you do in the situation?
