Auburn boys who shot BBs sentenced to wheelchair

Seattle Times ^ | 12/5/03 | Michael Ko

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Two 12-year-old Auburn boys who recently fired a BB rifle at a group of day-care children were ordered to spend a weekend in wheelchairs at a shopping mall and to write a two-page paper about the experience.

The boys targeted and hit seven children, ages 5 to 14, including one boy who was in an electric wheelchair. None of the injuries was serious.

The unusual sentence was handed down Wednesday by King County Juvenile Court Judge LeRoy McCullough, against the wishes of prosecutors, who had asked the boys be sentenced to some time in juvenile detention.

"We felt that there were a number of young, vulnerable victims who were in danger of serious harm," said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. "We were looking for more of a standard-type sentence."

The boys were facing a maximum penalty of 90 days in detention and 450 hours of community service.

In his alternative sentence, McCullough asked the boys to consider "what it feels like to be a youth in a wheelchair."

McCullough has a close relative who uses a wheelchair, according to Donohoe.

Juvenile Court judges, in most cases, have discretion during sentencing.

Among the questions the judge asked the boys to answer in their papers:

"Any problems with doors to bathrooms, stores or other places?" "What did it feel like trying to shop in a wheelchair?" "Did people seem to respect you? Or disrespect you? Show sympathy to you? Pity you?"

The double-spaced papers are due Dec. 15. The boys must also complete 76 hours of community service.

Mark Beckwith, a spokesman for ADAPT in Northern California, a disability-rights group, said there is some controversy within the community of people with disabilities about these kinds of awareness exercises.

He said some people were worried, for example, that a wheelchair day at a local university, where students spent one day in wheelchairs, turned into a joke and a spectacle.

"But if (these kids) spend all day in a wheelchair, they're bound to learn something they didn't think of before," Beckwith said. "You're bound to discover places that you can't go, things you can't reach."

On Oct. 9, the boys were charged with seven counts of third-degree assault and one count of malicious mischief.

Police said the boys hid behind a fence and fired a BB rifle at children at a day-care facility at the Auburn Church of the Nazarene. At first, the children thought they were being stung by bees.

Police said the boys were taking turns shooting at a cardboard-box target, a light pole and a trash bin, before becoming bored and aiming at the kids, about 75 feet from the fence. The boys also hit an Office Depot truck, cracking the windshield.

[EggsAckley]

This is just silly. Give a wheelchair to a healthy 12-year-old for a day, and he'll have the time of his life.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

...spend a weekend in wheelchairs at a shopping mall and to write a two-page paper about the experience...

[Stopislamnow]

I don't think so.

Shame and ridicule are powerful things. They should also be forced to have signs declaring why they are there strapped to the chairs.

Would like to see a follow up on this.

[Hildy]

Better yet, he should have made them do all that community service at a hospital for disabled children.

[ShadowDancer]

I like this.

[gitmo]

It's a good thing the courts are precluded from cruel AND unusual punishment. Cruel OR unusual is fine. This is unusual.

[Stopislamnow]

And thier parents should have to pay a hefty fine.

[76834]

Maybe a good vigorous spanking, with a razor strop.
My dad taught me many a good lesson that way.

[Stopislamnow]

Shame is a very old sort of punishment. Biblical type stuff.

[RonF]

What are these kids going to learn from the people around them when they are in juvenile detention? What are they going to learn from the people around them if they spend a couple of days in a wheelchair at a mall? I think this is a good idea.

[RonF]

He should have also required them to perform certain specific tasks, like shopping for food, shopping for clothes (including having to get the wheelchairs in and out of the dressing rooms), going to the bathroom, etc.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Among the questions the judge asked the boys to answer in their papers: "Any problems with doors to bathrooms, stores or other places?" "What did it feel like trying to shop in a wheelchair?" "Did people seem to respect you? Or disrespect you? Show sympathy to you? Pity you?"

[malia]

One month continual use would have made a stronger impression. . To make these two teenagers aware of the seriousness of their actions, their punishment should have been expanded to cover other areas - spending time and working in --Rehabs, children hosp. schools for the handicap etc.

[michigander]

Two 12-year-old Auburn boys who recently fired a BB rifle... were taking turns shooting at a cardboard-box target, a light pole and a trash bin, before becoming bored and aiming at the kids, about 75 feet from the fence. The boys also hit an Office Depot truck, cracking the windshield.

Where was the parental supervision?

[KarlInOhio]

Cruel OR unusual is fine. This is unusual.

I think I would have picked cruel for them.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Why wouldn't parents have to drive them AND wheelchairs to the mall?

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

And during this time of the year WHERE will they park?

[Recovering_Democrat]

I don't agree...after a couple hours, the "neatness" wears off.

[Tax-chick]

Why wouldn't parents have to drive them AND wheelchairs to the mall?

Excellent idea ... and supervise their community service ... and pay a fine. This kind of thing throws mud on everyone who engages in responsible shooting, and gives more ammunition to the idiots who'd leave us with nothing but dolls for recreation and spoons for self defense.