Quote: Oldrocker @ 26th February 2015, 11:47 PM GMT

I can't really believe what I'm reading here.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/26/felony-murder-teenager-55-years-jail-indiana

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It's a very poorly written article, but the subject matter isn't all that rare in the United States. It all boils down to this: if something bad happens while you're committing a crime, you are to blame. If an ambulance speeding to the scene of your crime runs over an old lady, it's your fault. If a cop fires a shot at you because you're pointing a gun and the cop's shot kills a bystander, you're to blame. You are the person who set the whole thing into motion.

The article tries to paint a sympathetic portrait of the young man for a British audience, but Americans have a much different view of people who break into an occupied dwelling. These criminals fully understand that they might be breaking into a home with an armed occupant, so it's not easy feeling sympathy for them, when I myself would have shot them had I been in the homeowner's shoes.

As they say, "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."

Yeah but, 55 years?

Over here I think he would have got between 7 and 10 years.

Quote: Oldrocker @ 27th February 2015, 1:05 AM GMT

Yeah but, 55 years?

Over here I think he would have got between 7 and 10 years.

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He'll be eligible for parole after half his sentence and I assume he'll get it if he's a decent inmate.

The article left out some pertinent facts about gangs and the fact that one of the kids pulled out a knife. Had the homeowner been unarmed, the kids very likely may have faced a "real" murder charge.

Quote: paulted @ 26th February 2015, 7:06 PM GMT

"and she's buuuying a starlift to hea-ven". Cover that classic Madonna.....

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Ha ha. Didn't like her when she first appeared, too showy and loud for me but my opinion of the lady has changed totally since she turned out to be more British than most Brits now.

Very hard working lady with a good sensible head on her shoulders and a very decent pair of knockers when she's bothered getting them out. You are a true star Ma'am.

Nice to see the fella get the Victoria Cross, well deserved recognition for a VERY brave man. My only concern is that the likes of our Prime Minister and his ilk are quick to turn up for these sort of events yet shamefully allow other service personnel to return from the front line with terrible injuries and fade into the background. These extraordinary people should want for nothing (healthcare, accommodation, support, counselling). While other public servants are earning £50K plus for their "efforts" and leave their employment with a more than generous pension service men and women are treated with shocking disrespect

Quote: DaButt @ 27th February 2015, 12:51 AM GMT

These criminals fully understand that they might be breaking into a home with an armed occupant, so it's not easy feeling sympathy for them, when I myself would have shot them had I been in the homeowner's shoes.

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So is there an incentive for the burglar to carry a gun, since if the homeowner shoots, it's going to be the burglar who gets the blame anyway, so why not get the first shot in, if the burglar's got nothing to lose?

Quote: DaButt @ 27th February 2015, 12:51 AM GMT

... you're to blame. You are the person who set the whole thing into motion.

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So technically it's his parent's fault.

And if he's died , would that have counted as suicide?

Ludicrous.

Quote: Nogget @ 27th February 2015, 11:54 AM GMT

So is there an incentive for the burglar to carry a gun, since if the homeowner shoots, it's going to be the burglar who gets the blame anyway, so why not get the first shot in, if the burglar's got nothing to lose?

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It's safe to assume that any burglar who breaks into an occupied dwelling is carrying a weapon.

Quote: Lazzard @ 27th February 2015, 12:01 PM GMT

So technically it's his parent's fault.

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Not unless the burglary was their idea. If it was, then throw them behind bars, too.

Quote: DaButt @ 27th February 2015, 12:51 AM GMT

These criminals fully understand that they might be breaking into a home with an armed occupant,../

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It's not clear what these burglars understood:
"...an appellate court judge calls Layman's 55-year term "inappropriate" and recommended 10 years be shaved off his sentence. The judge says unlike an adult, a teenager cannot forsee potential consequences of participating in such a crime."

http://www.tristatehomepage.com/story/d/story/blake-laymans-sentencing-reduced-by-10-years/18450/-7Rqv5OlSESJPnc4d4cCxw

Quote: Nogget @ 27th February 2015, 4:57 PM GMT

The judge says unlike an adult, a teenager cannot forsee potential consequences of participating in such a crime."

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Then that judge is an idiot.

Leonard Nimoy died.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/leonard-nimoy-logical-spock-star-720036

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/feb/26/shopping-vouchers-effective-help-pregnant-women-stop-smoking-cambirdge-university

Have I understood this correctly; women would give up smoking to get shopping vouchers but not for the sake of their unborn babies?

Quote: Loopey @ 27th February 2015, 5:32 PM GMT

Leonard Nimoy died.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/leonard-nimoy-logical-spock-star-720036

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Oh dear. RIP. And that has put the kibosh on me hoping to see him one day in The Big Bang Theory......

Quote: paulted @ 27th February 2015, 11:36 AM GMT

Nice to see the fella get the Victoria Cross, well deserved recognition for a VERY brave man. My only concern is that the likes of our Prime Minister and his ilk are quick to turn up for these sort of events yet shamefully allow other service personnel to return from the front line with terrible injuries and fade into the background. These extraordinary people should want for nothing (healthcare, accommodation, support, counselling). While other public servants are earning £50K plus for their "efforts" and leave their employment with a more than generous pension service men and women are treated with shocking disrespect

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Yes agree, didn't mean to delete whole post, generally they get a really bad deal considering what they put in for their country but there is no doubt this one will do okay, whether he wants to take the rewards on offer to him or not, he will without question be offered them.

Just to restate congrats to the Paras, that's 2 VCs in last decade! The very sort of record the regiment was formed to aim for. I feel like watching A Bridge Too Far again now, again!