Jonesboro School Shooter to be Released
Some people in Jonesboro, Ark. don't like that Mitchell Johnson, who at 13, along with 11 year old Andrew Golden, shot and killed five people at his middle school, is being released from prison. Johnson is now 21.
Johnson was rightfully tried as a juvenile. 13 year old brains are not well-developed enough to be competent to stand trial. They can't understand the proceedings, meaningfully assist their lawyers in their defense, or understand the consquences of various decisions that need to be made. Our criminal justice system believes in rehabilitating our youthful offenders. That's why juveniles don't get a permanent criminal record.
In Arkansas, the maximum age a juvenile can be held is 18. Johnson was held till he is 21, because the state added some weapons charges.
Johnson wants to become a minister and enroll in college. He's spent 8 years in juvenile and adult prisons. It's time for him to leave.
Funding prevention, not prisons, is the way to reduce these kinds of crime.
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