[raccoonradio]

Whether or not Odgren sees prison, he will most likely live to a ripe old age while his victim never got to see his 16th birthday.

>>mild form of autism

What he did was anything but mild: brutal, fatal stabbing of a classmate

>>“This is not a group prone to violence,” he said.

So don't blame it on the Asperger's. Blame it on his interest in knives (this sounds like a "thrill kill"), a violent culture, or being just plain evil. Columbine, Massachusetts.

[kinoxi]

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two to six children in 1,000 have one of the autism spectrum disorders such as Asperger’s. Scientists think genetic and environmental factors cause it.

That's nice. They have no idea what 'it' is but it has allowed people to get away with murder apparently. We need to infect the judiciary with a 'do my job and punish the criminals' syndrome.

[nmh]

So now if you're Autistic you can murder people?

And that's okay?

Another abuse of a tragedy - autism. Autism is not an excuse to murder or stab people. Geesh!

[LtdGovt]

I've Asperger's and these people need to be locked up for a long time. It's sickening that people get away with crimes such as these.

[Tai_Chung]

If people can use Asperger as an excuse for killing someone, then people with that disorder should be kept out of school in order to protect our children. Apparently, it would also reduce bullying in the schools which is also a good thing.

[rightwinggoth]

Wow, what a misapplication. If anything, people with Asperger's are socially withdrawn and lack emotion -- not the types at all to engage in a sudden fit of murderous rage.

[ishabibble]

Why was this boy even allowed to attend a public high school? If the court system won't hold him accountable, then perhaps they should put the entire Massachusetts educational system, and it's attendant minions, disability advocacy, NEA, special ed concept, and the administrations on trial.

Who is "celebrating diversity" at Lincoln--Sudbury Regional High now? Certainly not the family of the dead boy.

[jamaly]

bump for later

[Captain Rhino]

Modern legal theory says that you only punish those who can be considered morally accountable for their actions. This is why we don't bring animals to trial when they cause a death or serious injury. However, we do euthanize them in recognition of their uncontrollable nature, their continuing danger to humans and other animals, and out of our reluctance to permanently house and feed them in close confinement until they expire naturally

This 16 year-old boy has a mental defect that cannot be controlled even with medication and has proven, in the most horrific way, that he cannot be free within the general population without endangering others. Death, in this case, is a punishment disallowed by his mental incapacity. Permanent confinement removes him from the general population but imposes the cost of confining him on society. It would be appropriate if the people who had responsibility for monitoring and supervising him - and who failed to respond vigorously to his fascination to killing and knives prior to the event (i.e., the physicians, special education teachers and parents) - had to pay for his confinement in a secure mental institution. If he were to miraculously recover from this syndrome, Odgren should be transferred to a penitentiary for the remainder of his natural life.

Personally, I hope the parents of the slain boy sue the a** off of everybody that had a duty to monitor and supervise Odgren and failed to act. Those accountable persons can and should be punished both for themselves and for the fire it will light under the behinds of others in similar positions of responsibility who take their duties lightly.

Anyone know (or have a links to) the status of the lawsuits arising from the Columbine, CO school massacre?

[pabianice]

More fallout from the mandate to mainstream sped kids.

[perseid 67]

I do not believe that being bullied or having Asperger's entitles people to get away with murder.

On the other hand, people with Asperger's have trouble with the jerks who work and attend public schools.

Home schooling is the best option for children with Asperger's. The private Christian schools are a distant second option. Bullying takes place in class rooms where teachers are using social pressure to make students who stand out conform.

Ironically the more unique children are the more pressure the parents will receive to put them in a public school.

[ansel12]

"Blame it on his interest in knives "




I always carried a knife in elementary school, I shared a big interest in fighting knives with my fellow soldiers (American and foreign), I always have at least two knives on me as an adult, and I belong to two knife forums.

I hope there isn't some new trend to start attacking the natural male interest in knives.

[LibFreeOrDie]

The murderer talked about violence and reportedly dressed like the Columbine killers.

This article seems to blame the kids he talked to for not alerting adults. His parents never noticed? The medical professionals dispensing the various medications he was on never noticed?

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/01/21/teen_reportedly_talked_of_trying_to_kill/

[freespirited]

A police report said that he also said, “Is he OK? I don’t want him to die.”

So, IOW, he had no trouble understanding that if you stab someone you just might kill him.

Pass the twinkies, will ya?

[Sir Gawain]

Scientists think genetic and environmental factors cause it.

Well that narrows it down a bit.

[Moonman62]

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two to six children in 1,000 have one of the autism spectrum disorders such as Asperger’s. Scientists think genetic and environmental factors cause it.

More and more forms of mental retardation are being diagnosed as autism, I guess because there is less stigma attached to autism.

[TomSmedley]

Asperger’s is named after Dr. Hans Asperger, who wrote about the disease in 1944. But it was not officially classified as a psychiatric disorder until 50 years later.

Dr. Hans also coined the term autism a year before the American who usually gets the credit. His research kept a number of his patients out of the gas chambers. When the disability cops showed up, Hans explained that some folks were truly brilliant because they reallocated their cognative resources in such as way as to support their areas of giftedness while stinting other aspects of personal development. Despite their awkwardness and incompetence in some areas, these were still people of value.

Running across the term "Asperberger's Syndrome" a few years ago connected a number of dots for me. Such as -- why does life seem to be so full of invisible trip wires and picket lines? You open your mouth, and the room goes suddenly silent ...

And yes, such people are frequently the targets of bullies.

[montag813]

Yet schools continue to “include” Asberger’s kids in classes. In my son’s former school which intergrated them, the 3 worst kids were all “Asberger’s” kids.