Posted on 01/20/2007 12:29:06 AM PST by raccoonradio
A family that moved to Sudbury to put their kids in a “safe” school lost their straight-A son to a knife-slashing teen misfit yesterday in a crime that turned a haven for learning into a scene of numbing horror, officials said.
Prosecutors say the death of James F. Alenson, 15, allegedly at the hands of John Odgren, 16, in a bathroom at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School yesterday before the first bell, was a premeditated act by a troubled teen who will be tried as an adult.
“They had just moved there in September - they moved there to be in a safe place and so the kids could go to a good, safe school,” said the slain boy’s crying aunt, Julia Rossetti, in an interview.
“He was the sweetest boy. He would never hurt a fly. I just want people to know that he was a wonderful boy,” she said. Asked why another student would stab to death her nephew, whose family had recently moved from Natick, Rossetti said, “there is no reason.”
While the Alensons grieved behind closed doors, classmates of Odgren, who has Asperger’s syndrome, a developmental disorder, described a boy with a penchant for the macabre and an interest in knives and bombs.
Brianna Hogge, also a junior at L-S, said Odgren was “always asking how to get away with killing people and talking about how to make acid to make bombs. He was a really creepy kid.”
Police say Odgren dumped the bravado at the murder scene.
Odgren begged: “I don’t want him to die,” police said. Odgren, of Princeton, was waiting with school officials when police arrived.
He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Framingham District Court on first-degree murder charges and was held without bail.
The morning murder at the sprawling high school sent parents rushing to rescue frightened children. Several teens spoke of seeing Odgren emerging from the boys’ restroom with blood on his hands and remorse on his lips.
Katie Crowley of Framingham, a junior at L-S, said a friend at the school saw the boy they knew only as “Jack” stumble into a classroom smeared with blood just after the attack, saying, “It was an accident, it was an accident.”
Two Lincoln-Sudbury High juniors said Odgren often wore a trench coat to school and talked about murder, forensics and how he wanted to make an acid bomb.
At his arraignment at Framingham District Court, prosecutor Daniel Bennett said, “The timing of the stabbing strongly suggests that Mr. Odgren planned this premeditated murder and took Mr. Alenson’s life.”
Odgren, a tall, thin boy, appeared in court dressed in a paper jumpsuit with paper shoes. He did not speak during the short arraignment. His parents, Paul and Dorothy Odgen, sat quietly in court, clutching their hands. They left the building without commenting.
Police said Odgren stabbed the younger boy first in the abdomen and then in the heart at a little after 7 a.m., Bennett said. There were also cut wounds on Alenson’s neck. Alenson was rushed to Emerson Hospital in Concord, where he was pronounced dead at 8:12 a.m
Bennett described the weapon as a large knife and said Odgren brought the knife to school.
According to an affidavit filed by Sudbury Police Officer Nathan Hagglund, he arrived at the school to find school personnel, including a nurse, gathered around Alenson’s “lifeless body,” his shirt covered with blood. School staff told police the suspect was in another room with school officials, Hagglund wrote.
Bennett asked Judge Paul Healy to order Odgren held without bail, but defense lawyer Jonathan Shapiro said his client needed to be in a psychiatric hospital to determine if he is competent to stand trial.
Shapiro said Odgren has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, and is a special education student. “He’s on a number of medications and he’s under the care of many physicians,” said Shapiro.
>>a developmental disorder, described a boy with a penchant for the macabre and an interest in knives and bombs.
Brianna Hogge, also a junior at L-S, said Odgren was “always asking how to get away with killing people and talking about how to make acid to make bombs. He was a really creepy kid.”
Public school, nice place for him...
>> “It was an accident, it was an accident.”
He fell right onto the knife...
>>Odgren often wore a trench coat to school and talked about murder, forensics and how he wanted to make an acid bomb.
Columbine, Massachusetts
>> “He’s on a number of medications and he’s under the care of many physicians,” said Shapiro.
Excuse: "off his meds"
Immediate lethal injection.
Department of Repetitive Reiteration.
Is there any such thing as a safe government school anymore?
Prayers for this poor kid's family.
Not sure what to pray for the murderer's family; they obviously didn't do enough to squelch their son's murderous fantasies.
Nice of the media to push out the insanity defense early on in the article, instead of just waiting to quote the defense attorney at the end. On a side topic, I've always disliked the ruling, "Not guilty by reason of insanity." I've always thought that, in a way, it allows them off the hook without a measured amount of responsibility. While they might not have had control of their faculties, they were ultimately responsible for whatever deaths occurred.
I think it should be a guilty ruling, and as such, carry more heft in the longterm removal from society of murderers. Insane? Fine, don't put them in regular prison, but if they aren't sane enough to live without hurting people, then they should be locked away in a mental facility for the same duration as a regular sentence would carry.
Ironic that the killer often spoke of wanting to make a bomb, killing someone, had an inordinate interest in knives...and yet nobody thought he was dangerous. This seems to be a familiar theme with kids who suddenly turn homicidal. Everyone excuses odd or morbid behavior as 'he's weird', etc., and no one does anything until it's too late. School should be held liable, also the state of MA...they mainstream handicapped kids, those on meds, etc. as often as possible...(cheaper than special schools.) In most cases, it works out, but this time, obviously not. This is a tragedy for everyone.
Kids who mistakenly bring a small knife to school to cut an apple are almost thrown in prison these days. This kid, who talked openly about mayhem and murder, was never considered suspicious?? Hard to believe. The system is broken somewhere.
..."Kids who mistakenly bring a small knife to school to cut an apple are almost thrown in prison these days. This kid, who talked openly about mayhem and murder, was never considered suspicious?? Hard to believe. The system is broken somewhere"...
Consolidated schools are too large..They are out of control. We would not want to live in a war zone, but, many of us, unknowingly send our kids to one every day of the week..Smart, intelligent kids, like this 15 year old victim will always be targets because of envy..Asperger's is no excuse..
"Shapiro said Odgren has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, and is a special education student."
Mainlining misfits takes another victim.
Of lead, by .45 ACP.
Socialization?
Consolidated schools are too large..They are out of control. We would not want to live in a war zone, but, many of us, unknowingly send our kids to one every day of the week..Smart, intelligent kids, like this 15 year old victim will always be targets because of envy..Asperger's is no excuse..
In the school district in which we live, there are about 350 students in junior high and high school. There are bomb threats, lock downs, drug searches, you name it. I blame a lot of this on the justice system and parents, usually only one parent, lack of responsibility. Bring back the board.
When John Odgren is released from prison, I hope the father is awaiting with a sniper rifle.
That's my 2 cent's worth of amateur, pseudo psycho-analysis, the rest of my opinion is simple ... kill the little bastard.
They should have taken Mr. Odgren out behind the school sat him down in the grass and shot him in the head. Faster and easier on everyone involved.
Excellent post and I completely agree with you.
I'm betting that is not true. Would love to see all the 'files' (medical, gov't, school, police) on this kid.
carolyn
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