TW: RACISM, VIOLENCE, CHILD ABUSE, ASSAULT, ATTEMPTED MURDER, GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES

[perthro]

Summary: White man nearly kills an 8yo black boy, practically getting away with it. "5 to 99 years, for serious bodily injury to a child." Wanna bet he barely gets 20?

Source shows photo of boy in hospital, and also has a video. I deleted all photos from the cut version.
SOURCE

Comments

[layweed]

Probably because attempted murder is a second degree felony charge while the charge of serious bodily injury to a child is a first degree felony charge, i.e. more severe. Prosecutors tend to go for the higher charge ime.

ETA: of course they could throw both charges on him..but it sounds like they're still investigating so more charges could be added.

http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2013/10/crime-qa-charges-against-accused-shooter-of-lake-highlands-boy.html/

[layweed]

Has this even gone to trial yet? Looks like they set bail at $2.2 million and now the defense attorney is trying to get it reduced.

At the risk of getting dogpiled (I probably will be), I'd say it's still kinda early to be all practically getting away with it.

[xballroomblitz]

I think the "practically getting away with it" is coming from the 5 year sentence that he could be getting?

oh, and would you look at that, the guy charged is a white guy how could i ever have guessed. (and a terrifying looking white guy at that)

[perthro]

I never trust that a guy like that will get a long sentence, and even if he does, I look out for the chance of him getting let out early for good behaviour... because there aren't any little black kids to shoot in a prison.

[tabaqui]

How could they not have a motive yet? It's been over a month! Some yahoo on the 'basic/non subscription' page was saying it was an *accident*. For fuck's sake, enough with the insta-apologists, already.

[milleniumrex]

They don't have a motive because the motive was likely "I want to shoot that little black kid because I'm a racist scumbag". Unless he's got a paper trail of racism for them to point to, the motive is locked inside his head and I'm sure his lawyers are very careful not to let him say anything that could allow them to upgrade to a hate crime charge.

Seems open and shut enough - I hope - and hopefully he'll get a hard-nosed judge who'll give him the max.

[moonshaz]

I sure hope so.

[perthro]

Ah, I see your problem: you checked Yahoo. A site run and commented on entirely by yahoos.

[nicosian]

Poor kid. In addition to a nice stiff sentence locked away, I'd wish for the medical costs for the boy's recovery to land entirely on the shooter. Not a dime off. Full price. Work it off, asshole, and may it remind him every day...you shot a child in the face. ( I don't support the death penalty, I'm all for making him squirm.)

[robintheshrew]

I'm also against the death penalty. I totally agree, because not only are there going to be steep medical bills, but these kids are going to need so much therapy.

[shorofsky]

That's a good suggestion. Make him pay for the therapy and health care for that poor child forever. Plus, put him in an empty cell with a floor made of broken glass and nothing to pad his feet.

[romp]

for mental health reasons, I'm going to hope the guy gets the maximum possible.

How could it be an accident if he was hanging out by his truck. If I accidentally hurt a child like that, I'd be getting that child to a hospital immediately.

I hope the boy gets as much reconstruction as possible. A boy I went to school with shot himself in the face and many were standoffish even years later because of the glass eye and prosthetic ear and the scarring. :(

[robintheshrew]

Kids can be cruel. Plus he and his brother are going to need sooo much therapy