When I was 16 I was in a psychiatric unit for suicidal thoughts & depression. This was back in 83 when you kept the kid in the psychiatric unit for years. Fortunately that was not the case for me because ins ran out - but anyway - my point is that there was a kid in there that had killed both of his parents. It was a HUGE case in Dallas, that had every person up in arms about the cold blooded nature of this kids actions. However the judge chose to hospitalize him for his punishment, rather than send him to jail - which had our community even more up in arms.
This kid was THE most gentle kid on the entire unit. Sweet, kind, cute..........had all the girls wrapped around his little finger. For a long time I did not know why he was there - and when I found out, I could not believe it. It was such a disconnect for me, because I knew him to be this sweet kid, and then to hear he had actually shot both his parents blew me away.
The more I got to know him though, I realized he had been severely abused - and one day he just snapped. He snapped to protect himself and his brother, and just took one of his dad's guns and blew both his parents away.
I always admired that judges decision, because to my knowledge this kid went on to be a productive member of our society. He actually had to change his name to BE successful because the community put so much judgment on him, that his name was known throughout - but he did go on to live a normal life.
I pray that the judge in this case will have the same insight, mercy, and wisdom that that judge had.