TexasCHLforum.com

At about 3:45 a.m. January 31, a robber allegedly shot Abdul Meje, a clerk working in a gas station conveninece store at 45th and Seawall Boulevard in Galveston. Mr. Meje died almost immediately of two gunshot wounds to the chest.

Minutes later, a Galveston police officer stopped a car after observing an illegal U-turn. He noticed blood on the clothing of one of the passengers.

All four occupants of the car were arrested, and police found a "large-caliber revolver" in the car.

The suspects are now charged with capital murder and being held in Galveston County facilities:

• Robert Lee Stevens, 33, who has multiple felony convictions
• Katie Wade, 18, who had been listed as a "missing and endangered person"
• a 16-year-old boy
• a 16-year-old girl

The DA's office is seeking to charge the juvenies as adults.

All four suspects are from the Lake Jackson-Clute area.

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewc ... d6d11ec328

- Jim

if it is determined the "large caliber handgun" was the one that killed Abdul Meje...then fry them..fry them all

The minors should be treated as Minors.

jhutto wrote:The minors should be treated as Minors.

Why? Wouldn't they be accomplices in a murder...and what if one of the "minors" was the trigger person that murdered that fellow?

jhutto wrote:The minors should be treated as Minors.

Sorry, I disagree.

A 10 year old minor may not understand the consequences of his actions, but at the age of 16 (unless mentally incompetent) you know exactly what you are getting yourself in to.

I say certify them as adults and at least give them life in prison unless they had no idea what was taking place and were truly in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Some more details. It is reported that Stevens (the 33-year-old felon) was the shooter. He shot Meje after Meje grabbed his hand.

It's too bad the newspaper doesn't put photos on its web site, because a picture really is worth 1,000 words in this case.

http://www.galvnews.com/story.lasso?ewc ... c292c07263

- Jim

I say certify them as adults and at least give them life in prison...

Sometimes I think we sould rebuild gallows on courthouse lawns, and USE them. Maybe that would deter crime a little. Maybe a bit extreme.....

seamusTX wrote:It's too bad the newspaper doesn't put photos on its web site, because a picture really is worth 1,000 words in this case. - Jim

How so?

The adult male looks like an angry, not-very-bright thug. The 18-year-old woman looks like a member of the Lindsay Lohan fan club who doesn't understand why the police are taking her photo.

- Jim

Tactical_Texan_CHL wrote:Sometimes I think we sould rebuild gallows on courthouse lawns, and USE them. Maybe that would deter crime a little. Maybe a bit extreme.....

It is extreem. Murder is extreem too. Robbery, burglery & even assault victim can recover their losses & sometimes health. No murder victim ever recovered. Rape is extreem crime of violence. The victim never is restored. you cannot unmurder or unrape someone. Extreem justice is valid for extreem violent crime. You are closer to right than you think.
LT

zbordas wrote:

I say certify them as adults and at least give them life in prison...

Then you 2 guy volunteer to be to ones who foot the bill for 60 yrs.

I agree w/ the gallows. Extreem? Yes. Crime has become so extreem over the yrs that punishment has become so far into the future & so comfortable.
Basketball courts, Handball, TV room.
I am old enough to remember Huntsville State Prison.
Ex convicts said Dont go ther.
In 1987 I had a man headed for TDC for 40 yrs tell me he couldn't wait to get there because he would have something to do & he was boared here in Angelina Co. Jail.

"Take all the rope in Texas
Find a tall oak tree
Round up all of those bad boys
And hang 'em high in the street
For all the people to see."

Toby Keith - "Beer For My Horses"

I usually don't reply to posts, but I think that the system has gone downhill. My brother was shot and killed in 1988 and the guy who shot him was only sentenced to 8years (he served 8 months). During his bail time he hit a young woman, who was 7 months pregnant, and caused her to lose her baby. Nothing ever came of that and he went free.
I think that there should be a trial and if found guilty they should go to jail and have one year to come up with an appeal. Once the appeal has been heard, and if they are found guilty a second time-they should be taken out back and executed right then. None of this death row waiting for 20 years and wasting tax payers dollars. This should be applied to all murder suspects. I say no more comforts of home should be given to prisoners...they aren't at day camp. They are supposed to be serving time as a punishment for wrongdoings. Prison should not be a place that they want to go and they should bust their butts to get out and better themselves while they are in there. Give them a library and let them read away-no more tvs or cable or cigarettes etc. They can come out better, more educated individuals. I'm done.

rbraughn wrote:A 10 year old minor may not understand the consequences of his actions, but at the age of 16 (unless mentally incompetent) you know exactly what you are getting yourself in to.

I say certify them as adults and at least give them life in prison unless they had no idea what was taking place and were truly in the wrong place at the wrong time.

So, at 10 they don't understand, but at 16 they do? Where is this magic age where every child understands the consequences of their actions? Let's figure that out and set the age there. Should be simple, right?