Inchoate Justice: Should We Reconsider Sarah Kruzan?
Who is Sarah Kruzan? 
For those unfamiliar with the case, at age 16 Sarah Kruzan murdered her pimp Howard. She had been a runaway, put into the atrocious cycle of child prostitution.
Prosecutors argued at trial that Howard no longer employed Kruzan at the time of the killing, and that a week earlier, she had moved into the Rubidoux home of one of Howard’s rivals — a drug dealer who put her up to robbing and shooting him. On March 10, 1994, Kruzan agreed to go to the movies with the 36-year-old Howard and spend the night with him at the Dynasty Suites motel on Iowa Avenue. She packed a pistol. @ PE.com
Sarah stuck a pistol to the neck of her victim and murdered him in cold blood. Sarah then stole $1500 and his Jaguar.
“She seduced and she killed,” prosecutor Timothy Freer, now a Riverside Superior Court judge, told jurors.
This type of pre-mediated murder invokes the harshest of sentences. She was convicted of first-degree murder and as a aggravating factor “laying in wait” in course of robbery.
Sarah is in prison serving life without parole for this heinous crime.
Why is this garnering any attention? A video of her story went viral, organizations of youth justice formed petitions, celebrities spoke out… Sarah is now the face of the reformation movement in juvenile justice. Here is the video that started it all:
Legal Rationale
From a legal perspective this was unequivocally capitol murder of the worst kind: pre-meditated.
The justice system acknowledges this then applies mitigating forces to determine if this person was truly guilty of the most heinous offense. Mitigating factors include….
- The pimp-prostitute relationship: abuse, exploitation,mental anguish. Was the murder committed under severe mental distress? He was 31 when he met her, at age 11…
- Did Sarah have the capacity to understand the gravity of her actions? She was still a child without a moral compass, prejudiced by a harsh need to survive – most people reading this will never fight to survive.
- Did Sarah actually commit the murder in Cold Blood or did she see a moral justification?
- Was Sarah’s new pimp forcing her to commit this crime?
- Was Sarah’s prior history sufficiently unique to give rise to a narrative that explains this murder in a mitigating light?
With all these factors clearly on the table, this story takes an terrible turn with an incompetent … lazy… overworked attorney. Public Defenders are notoriously unable to provide a coherent defense regime. Reflect for a moment what challenges are presented to a PD with a overloaded docket. This case is allegedly rife with instances in which the defense could have mounted opposition. An appeal for a writ of Habeas Corpus was denied. Assuming this was rejection was proper, the judgment may be sound even if a poor defense was offered. As a side note, Kruzan was offered a plea that included parole but against her attorneys advice she refused. Although hindsight is 20/20, considering the case against her it is shocking she did not accept. It is my assertion that the law has worked, albeit harshly. The failure is on the part of legislatures not enumerating rehabiliation guidelines – Courts generally are not in the business of making law when the politicians have spoken.
Where the Law Failed – Rehabilitation and Youth
The California Youth Authority has issued materials that suggests that runaways are able to greatly benefit from rehabilitation. Punishment and Rehabilitation, two competing interests that the case of Sara Kruzan shows was incorrectly balanced. The legislature needs to be forthright with good policy that is tailored to social needs. This 18 year mark is so arbitrary it hurts. Criminal behavior of minors, no matter how atrocious, can be altered. I don’t think people by nature are unable to change. For these purposes however, minors are particularly malleable. If there is ever to be a true movement towards rehabilitation it would start with kids. Legislatures across America should cast a critical eye on juvenile justice and offer policy with compassion and empathy. The “eye for an eye” justice is arcane, for the benefit of society we must punish and rehabilitate. That requires fundamentally changing sentencing procedures and prisons – a monumental task.
Was race an issue?
“There are approximately 225 juveniles in California serving a life without parole sentence. California has the worst racial disparity rate in the nation for sentencing juveniles to life without parole. Black youth are given this sentence at 22 times the rate of white youth.”
Statistics show that harsher sentences are given to minorities (often in very similar situations) . Whatever biases created this systematic disenfranchisement, it must be dealt with directly. This is unacceptable.
“Facts seem to say that when in similar economic circumstances, white, latino and black people act similarly, and that race is not a defining factor in gang rape, or any other violent crime. Jerry Brice on Gang Rape at Richmond High
The Good Fight
Although this case has been denied by an Appeal, it is not beyond the scope of reason that it may be re-opened under any number of plausible errors.
“Life without parole means absolutely no opportunity for release,” said Senator Yee. (of California) “It also means minors are often left without access to programs and rehabilitative services while in prison. This sentence was created for the worst of criminals that have no possibility of reform and it is not a humane way to handle children. While the crimes they committed caused undeniable suffering, these youth offenders are not the worst of the worst.”CriminalJustice.Change.org
“As a society we’ve learned a lot since the time we started using life without parole for children,” said Elizabeth Calvin, a children’s rights advocate with Human Rights Watch. “We now know that this sentence provides no deterrent effect. While children who commit serious crimes should be held accountable, public safety can be protected without subjecting youth to the harshest prison sentence possible.”
If you wish to help, follow the link to donate and sign the petition.
http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/support_freedom_of_trafficking_victim_sara_kruzan_2
Trackbacks
- Juvenile Justice: Sara Kruzan « Scribblings
- Life in Prison, at 16. « Revolutionary Petunia
- Life in Prison, at 16. « Revolutionary Petunia
- Life in Prison, at 16. « Revolutionary Petunia
- Life in Prison, at 16. « Revolutionary Petunia
- Life in Prison, at 16. « Revolutionary Petunia
- Life in Prison, at 16. « Revolutionary Petunia
- Ben Roethlisberger Rape: Pittsburgh Perspective « Political Cartel
- Sara Kruzan snapped at sixteen and killed her rapist and pimp · Tessonome
I think that quote at the end from HRW really sums up the competing interests of justice for minor criminals and safety for society. Good article.
Thanks David. A topic that is highly relevant is the “Prison Industrial Complex” . Also, there is this case right in our backyard where a judge was paid off to send kids to jail. Sick.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/2020/pa-supreme-court-throws-thousands-juvenile-delinquency-cases/story?id=8952028
completely irrelevant – sort of … michael, what is your background? im using this article on my blog, and don’t want to misrepresent the speaker of this piece (which is very well written, by the way).
I am in law school right now, but frequently work with the National Lawyers Guild. In addition, I spend time writing about politics, law, government, and human rights. My intentions are be an advocate first legally, then politically. Please feel free to email me for questions or just keep me updated with your blog. Also, I enjoyed reading your response further down in the comments. Thanks!
“The National Lawyers Guild is dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system. Through its members–lawyers, law students, jailhouse lawyers and legal workers united in chapters and committees–the Guild works locally, nationally and internationally as an effective political and social force in the service of the people. “
michael, could you supply an actual citation for this case? i’m having difficulty looking up the opinion.
Or it could be that blacks commit more crimes. And it could be that there is a better structure for rehabilitation for whites and asians in their communities. Not because of racism or money, but because frankly whites and asians are better at it. Everyone knows that single unwed parentage is commonplace in black america. It isnt an accident. The bizarre behaviour is observed in mother Africa, read “The Marriage Problem”- James Q Wilson. Maybe incarceration is better then what is at home. 47%of black crime is against white people, 46% against there own. Maybe the jury pools are less forgiving when its an outsider committing these crimes. Im sure the Afro community known for its tolerance and forgiveness would act any different. Its just that whites commit very few crimes against blacks in black communities where you would have a black jury. Again why is how the white and asian communities act always the bar by which we should expect blacks to act. Maybe whites are overachievers. Should we say racism is at hand because far more whites are in jail for robbery then say asians. No one ever mentions the disparity between blacks and Mexicans. Or the disparity between Asians and Mexicans. Why is it always Whites are here and so because blacks and Mexicans arent it must be racism. Which of course is never really flushed out. Is it because whites are so quick to throw corporate money at claims of racism. Is it “You keep shaking the tree that provides”? How about the disparity of Blacks in the Federal Reserve or the Supreme Court and say, people of Jewish descent. Uh oh, I think I hear the Nazi analogy coming.
You’re kind of a one-trick pony, aren’t you? Race is your thing.
“”"Read a news story that in some way, either directly or very indirectly, touches on an issue related to ‘race,’ and then read the comments section. Almost without exception, the comments sections will be filled with overtly racist remarks from readers.”"”
http://www.racismreview.com/blog/category/cyber-racism/
It’s actually a pretty interesting topic. People seem to come out of the woodwork when they can hide behind the veil of internet anonymity – i.e. never be accountable for public statements.
Well I write for a magazine out of Atlanta called Peaches. You will know who I am very soon and I will not be flexing on the Internet reaporting about what is real truth. Look me up and maybe we can talk in person woman to man Black to White. If you have a real opinion maybe we will publish it and then YOU can say that YOU are not hiding behind the Internet.
Sounds great to me…I enjoyed your comments here,very insightful words.
I look forward to reading more of your work.
Get your facts straight. Corporate crimes that are largly headed by whites kills, and financially harms more people than street crimes. Learn your history and what our society was founded on, and the inequality that is present. The marketing of unsafe products that have killed innocent people, or scandals that have caused innocent American their life savings. The list far exceeds street crimes, and harms our society as a whole. Leave your racist ignorant comments to yourself, and stop expressing your ignorance via internet. This case illustrates class division and the need for a real lawyer.
you small minded bigott, you obviously do not know your own white european history of mass rape, mass murder, torture. you people have been committing the most heinous of crimes since before that murderer columbous, you and your white supremacy government have set it up fr blacks to fail and to be incarcarated. how dear you make such small minded comments… this is why america is like it is today and lets not forget it was built on the blood of srah kruzans ancestors….you wanka and guess what im not black im white but i felt compelled to respond to you pathetic comments above. you little racist man..
I find it so very hilarious that people believe everything they read and hear. Did it ever occur to you that reports are purposely altered to make us believe that Blacks commit more crimes? Did it ever occur to you that reports of White on White crimes are suppressed to make it appear that Whites don’t commit as many crimes as say most other races. The imbalance in reporting information can be found when one does their research, when one witnesses the crimes being committed by other races that go unreported to keep the imbalance epic. Spend some time in the trailer parks. You will find that there are many White fathers raping their daughters and their sons, killing their wives, hell their entire families. You will find White mothers leaving their children to fend for themselves and in turn these youths are committing crimes against each other for survival. Spend some time in the barrios and you will find that there is an increasing number of Latino mothers committing rape against their sons and fathers against their daughters. The above are facts. I know very well because of my line of work. Please understand that just as many violent crimes being done by Blacks to Blacks are just as many crimes being done by other races to themselves. Go deeper, it’s there. Blacks will always be in the forefront, it is the way they are continued to be immobilized, stagnant and oblivious. “Ignorance is dangerous.”
The prison system tells a different story. The prison populations in my state, to say the least, are overwhelmingly African American. My father has worked in the prison system here for 20+ years and this has been the case since he started working there. He has worked his way up over the last two decades and is now a case worker dealing one on one with the inmates, listening to everything they have to complain about. Guess which group of inmates sues the state more often because of things like “chunky peanut butter when they asked for creamy. OR the kicker…..when an inmate decides they want to have a stand off with the guards and attacks 3 guards with plastic spoons that have been sharpened into knives and seriously injures two of the guards, that inmate sued for excessive force because when they finally wrestled him to the ground they put his cuffs on too tight. He won a $5,000.00 settlement!” You want to talk about injustice?! Maybe the good people working in the prisons should be armed with something more than pepper spray! When a prisoner that has done nothing but pump iron every day for the last 10 years, they’re probably going to be able to overpower a guard!!! My dad is on permanent “desk duty” because an inmate picked him up (he weighs about 280 lbs) but his shirt and threw him into a brick wall…..all his colleagues could do was radio that an officer was being assaulted! THAT is unfair! If you do the crime, DO the time!
As for this girl……in the environment she was in, i’m going to go out on a limb and guess that she had seen plenty of people go to jail or prison. That being the case, she would have known what happens when you break the law and get caught. It’s unfortunate that she was in a position where she was being trafficked, but that is not an excuse for murder! She could have left and never turned back. There are TONS of organizations designed to help these women, and others have done it……she could have too. It was her choice to kill the pimp, steal his money and his car. She knew that she wasn’t going to get away with that!
most (if not all) of your comments are based on your father’s anecdotes, and your going-out-on-a-limb assumptions. we all should be careful about the conclusions we draw about such weighty issues – your comments not only reinforce very troubling and destructive views, but worse, they are clearly uninformed (at least as you presented them – i am allowing for the possibility that while you did not tell us, other experiences and/or research have informed your ideas).
regardless, this is a very dangerous practice. you said, “that is not an excuse for murder.” mr. kraemer never once excused her crime. neither do it. in fact, he mentions that it is punishable. i think what some of us what is a justice that considers whole portraits, extending the scope of our eyes beyond single incidents to include all relevant factors. her background and experiences are not insignificant, and should inform the punitive measures we deploy.
maybe you should ask your father how often his inmates receive counseling, and from whom. perhaps he has anecdotes to share about the removal of educational services from prisons. or the downsizing of mental and emotional rehabilitation services.
i’m also going to go out on a limb and say, i bet not all of the people he meets deserve death. and that even if (even if, even if, even if) they did, how would your father know? how would you know? by the crime they committed?
YOU DID ALL THAT TYPING AND SAID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!!!! IDIOT!!!
I agree, my people commit a disproportionate number of crimes in both the black community and in general.
Really good blog post. Thanks for your research and thoughtful analysis. (kind of helps that I agree with you)
I initially saw the youtube video on facebook, but have since been fact-checking and am in shock that this actually happened. What’s worse is that there are probably others who aren’t getting the publicity that Sarah is now getting. People should be jumping and screaming about this. I get that she killed someone but the injustice that’s been done to her by the system seems far worse. Clearly race and class play into how the system has treated her (or dismissed her) and not enough people understand that. I intend to write some letters and to get others to do the same. Any ideas where to start? (Besides the petition, did that already)
See my comment to Jerry;
But basically call your politicians. Often, if you just ask you can get in touch with the person charged with this type of policy. Talk logically and explain the situation. Remember, people are just people – everywhere.
Excellent reporting Mr Kraemer…excellent.
Please accept my apologies from what was a misunderstanding by me…
you have my respect.
I like the new insight on this case,as you have done some great research…
If possible,what do you think about getting this case re-opened.I knew there had to be some dtails that led to such a harsh sentence, but I did cite the fact that she was a minor,and a victim of rape, torture, and mental abuse, as a minor.
And is the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ relevant dynamic that could be applied to this case as to show cause…
I would like to get this in front of the ‘Innocence Project’ for review, but in the meantime, I will cite this report and study some of the facts that you have brought forward here.
Thanks sir, and good work.
This case presents particular problems. Under the letter of the law, and arguably legislative intent, Sarah committed a class of crime that is traditionally punished harshly. While mitigating factors seem to reduce the caliber of crime, it is not outrageous for a jury to ignore circumstances due to heinous type of murder… I don’t think the court necessarily acted improperly.
What offends my sense of justice is the inaction of legislature to offer kids the chance to reform. I imagine politicians had in mind people, without the tragic story of Sarah, who committed terrible offenses to be practically incurable. While I think this type of logic is ultimately flawed, that was probably the guiding rationale.
I think pressure needs to be brought on law makers to enact legislation that would tell courts that “no-parole” is not an option for the sub 18 category. Further, I think that parole should be unequivocally offered, at a minimum, whenever extenuating circumstances present themselves – i.e. forced protestation – for any age. It’s hard to blame the courts when they are acting within the legislatively defined scope.
We also must realize that prisons are wholly unable to offer meaningful rehabilitation. While not impossible, people looking to correct negative behavior rarely do so inside the prison nightmare.
The real answer here involves a multi-pronged reorganization of justice system that devalues the worth of the individual. Sarah’s case is a good place to start; you can only move a mountain a little at a time.
Just read this on another website.
http://smokingsection.uproxx.com/TSS/2009/10/female-teen-sentenced-to-life-without-parole
Did you know about this?
“The good news for Sarah is that the United States Supreme Court will hear 2 cases on November 9th concerning the issue presented here – Is sentencing a juvenile to life without the possibility of parole cruel and unusual and in violation of the 8th Amendment? Depending on how the justices rule, Sarah may not be facing a life behind bars. For more on the cases pending before the Supreme Court, see http://askthejudge.info/is-a-life-sentence-for-a-13-year-old-cruel-unusual-punishment/562/#more-562“
I am glad to hear that the 8th amendment may turn these cases around because of constitutional violations. Thanks for posting updates Anne!
I always remember was a law professor once told me; “it might be cruel but unusual?… 225 people in California will say otherwise” (obviously taking liberty with the second half). Here is the docket information:
Terrance Jamar Graham, Petitioner v. Florida
http://origin.www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/08-7412.htm
I suppose that a follow up article talking about the 8th amendment as it applies here would be appropriate.
“One-trick pony”? Do you say the same thing when people are foaming at the mouth with criticism of european history, the US, everywhere but the third world. These people have an obsession with race. Do you ask if their “thing” is race. Why dont you give the victims of a modern “genocide” in this country a go. That would be the victims of mass black on white crime. Every day I can show you crimes that if the roles were reversed the FBI and every “civil” rights activist would be shouting I Have A Dream. Journalist? What a laugh. Show some balls and report what you know is going on. A dialogue on race never seems to go anywhere when blacks are asked the same questions. And here we have whites carrying the water for criminals. You look at a few cases of possible misconduct, split split-hairs, but what of the hundreds that get out on technicalities and rape, rob and murder again. Where are you then. You free one and set on the public a hundred bad. This is justice. Do you feel cleansed of some racial guilt when you beat the drum for the imprisoned? In this forced “diverse” society, the principle of 100 go free rather then 1 innocent be imprisoned is suicidal. The consequences to the public of a hundred guilty on the streets is much worse then one innocent man in prison. You keep your eyes on that prize, chasing the impossible. And our society becomes more and more like the third world. Of course liberal minds never live where their experiments take place. I wonder why.
It is easy to make broad strokes using casual correlation by forsaking details. I have dream that one day you’ll sit down and hash out your idea’s in a coherent and logical capacity.
Third World? Well, since everything ‘western culture” has is b/c you’ve stolen (land & people) from the places you have labeled third world, i think it’s perfect karma that the descendents and progeny of those you have stolen from would now over-run the house you have built from those said stolen resources & people. Karma is a biyatch, ain’t it? lol…
How you can look at the stats and say casual correlation. 12% of the population commits 45% of all violent crime. Whats that supposed to mean. Does it sound better if all white people are racist and unfairly imprisoning blacks. Look at the behaviour world wide. Its so easy for you to see worldwide racism of white people but there is a silence when someone suggests blacks behaviour is the problem. Even in African countries you see unbelievable amounts of violence. Why waste so much time and energy talking on and on about the reason Tyronious raped and murdered three coeds was because his momma didnt love him? Its funny, why is low IQ so important when a black man is on trial, but everyone wants to discount its value when they apply for school. No criticism of unwed pregnant mothers until her son kills someone then we are supposed to feel sympathy for the illegitimacy. I guess one should grow shark-eyes and learn to laugh at it all. But how do you do that.
| 12% of the population commits 45% of all violent crime. Whats that supposed to mean.
- So you have noted a statistic, I haven’t verified it, but its irrelevant because I want you to now answer your question. Hypothetically if this is correct, why is it so? Does it hurt your thesis if Jerry’s comment, “Facts seem to say that when in similar economic circumstances, white, latino and black people act similarly, and that race is not a defining factor in gang rape, or any other violent crime.” is accurate? I believe it wholly undermines your argument. Then again, it doesn’t because you are attacking with an emotional ‘shot-from-the-hip’ where reason becomes ineffectual.
Its also interesting you bring up IQ. Actually some critics have pointed IQ is the last hurdle of social discrimination. For instance, legally your are required to act as would the hypothetical “reasonable man” – but how can this be fair if a person’s IQ is lacking? Perhaps it made sense 100 years ago when our grasp on this subject was tenuous, but now science can accurately discern intelligence. Is it truly fair that people of lower intelligence are held to a higher standard?
Also, as just an editorial here; I encourage people to go and travel the world. When you arrive at distant countries, the culture initially may shock, but once you acclimate there is a profound realization that the human condition is inescapable.
This sounds like a rant from American History X. I love Edward Norton but I do not love you, J. You are completely incoherent. If there is a point anywhere in your ramblings, it is utterly lost and you just sound like a dumb redneck.
Dumb redneck!? How terribly offensive of you. Why, you must really want those ass kissing points from the black grievance crowd. You just washed away the sin of your white skin. Feel better now. Its impolite and poor taste and anger filled to reject that white people are the origin of all things bad? Or to just accept always that the cause of every negative statistic for brown people is just assumed the workings of the white community. Im incoherent though. You said so. What is it called those who willingly blind themselves to the day in and day out crimes that the people in your community face by the people who scream about injustices of yesterday the most. Justice Dept statistics and the Uniformed Crime reports of the FBI. Look it up. It is outrageous. You pee your pants about violent kids getting locked up and not rehabbed (and the tone is always that white racism is at play) , and you ignore the violent crime that is grossly disproportionately carried out by blacks on the white community. You should be angry. Why arent you?
This is not the proper place to pontificate your personal hate agenda.
You have really challenged me on a personal level – no, not with any of your obtuse logic…. But rather in sense that I always believed that I would never be tempted to eliminate a post. These type of comments push the boundaries of free speech. I am at odds with keeping such a hateful post – but in the end I personally believe you are self defeating and that is my solace. Roaches scatter at the light.
Thank you for sharing Sarah’s important story. You are absosolutely right about the courts’ and judges’ hands being tied by “mandatory minimums” and sentencing guidelines. The legislature in each state determines these mandatory minimums and then the court has to weigh the mitigating and aggravating factors. The court must have determined that there were not enough mitigating factors in Sarah’s case to give her a mitigated sentence. Again, the United States Supreme Court is hearing this very issue i.e. Is a life sentence for a juvenile cruel and unusaul under the 8th Amendment? The oral argument on 2 different cases is scheduled for next Monday November 9th. For more on these stories, see http://askthejudge.info/is-a-life-sentence-for-a-13-year-old-cruel-unusual-punishment/562/
Finally, what was Sarah’s defense at trial? Coercion or duress? It sounds like there wasn’t much of a defense that she did not in fact commit the crime, so it seems odd that the case actually went to trial.
I am glad I was able to convey the problems courts face. I have known judges who retire because they can’t handle the guilt of mandatory sentencing people to death.
The 8th amendment provides a vehicle for progressive change. In passing legislation, politicians rarely have the foresight to know all the foreseeable cases that will be subject to the mandate. I don’t fault them – seeing the future is no easy task. I think these cases of juvenile injustice present the perfect case for courts to step in and clarify a gap not properly addressed by the legislature… using the 8th Amendment.
Thanks for the comment!
It sounds like an allibi or denial defense wouldn’t have been very effective. Plus it would largely rule out making the emotional duress claim.
You can’t expect juries to be convinced by “I didn’t do it! But if I did, here’s how it happened and why…”
I am shocked that she did not accept the plea. This was a calculated crime and although I do believe in the mitigating factors and hope for rehabilitation, reasonable minds can surely differ on whether this warrants life without parole. That is what went to the jury and the result is not entirely surprising – under the law.
Hey gentleman,you have a good rationale grasp on this,and it is good to see it from a legal point of view.It’s work for me to keep up with,and it comfirms to me that I am a cartoonist primarily,who works with lawyers now and then…
I have learned a ton here..
I forwarded your report to a producer for a radio program on the XM/Sirrius sattelite network, and this case will be discussed tonight at 10pm eastern time on the Sheryl Underwood show…
http://www.sirius.com/thefoxxhole
It’s a part of the Jaimee Foxx network of shows that garner millions of listeners worldwide, believe it or not.
They are following this thread, because you guys are way over our heads with the legal details..
FYI,the producers name is Felicia Morris, and I encourage you Michael to call in, it would be very helpful, and some good national P.R. for you, as you are an expert at this.
Maybe tell them I sent you, but all I caqn offer at this level of conversation is to listen and learn…
If there is a way for them to contact you …today..i know short notice,that’s quicker,I think my e-mail is connected to my blog,if not,call in please…let’s move this mountain.
I have noticed that some people turn down plea bargains, and in that Disney case, they refused to settle until it became apparent that they had no hope of winning.I sa this in that 13 year old murder case with the kid who killed his playmate, and his mom turned down the plea bargain…why do people do this..that seems like an emotional decision rather a well thought out strategy.
Maybe if Sarah had an advocate outside of the Public defender,she may have thought that through…
I also want to say this, a lot of my Public defender friends here got mad about some of the things I said about their work in my piece, so I want to say that I know that is an over whelming position to be in, and that most of them try to do their best, as the judges and all the officer of the court do.No one is perfect, and the law does allow cases to be reviewed when it is neccersarry.
I got this from the Producer of the radio program I mentioned…
…I did speak with her,Sarah Kruzan’s, attorney’s office yesterday. They have a team of folks helping with her case. I was told they want to keep it low key because they are afraid too much media exposure might harm her case. I believe she will be freed! Lets pray!…
That was from Felicia Morris,producer of Foxxhole radio, and the Sheryl Underwood show.Felicia is known as the Poetess,just FYI…
The Sheryl Underwood Show
Tuesdays 10 pm ET
Wednesdays 10 am ET
Email Sheryl at sherylunderwood@sirius-radio.com
Hey …I just got this message…
..Hey Jerry, I just confirmed Sen. Leland Yee for tonights’ show..
I am trying to get a seat on tonight’s show, and if I do I will cite your article for you, but you are way more of a legal expert than me, so I might just be winging it…
But I want you to be heard Michael, you have an even toned voice of reasoning that does not favor one side over the other,just straight up fairness.
Just know that all involved, including the Senator are looking at your site as we speak..
Jerry,
I will send an email to the producer and get some more information. Thanks for the heads up!
There are more serious crimes than this one, this girl acted out of fear, she was first owned by this pimp, then owned by a drug dealer, I think this case should have been handled different, She is too young to spend the rest of her life behind bars. The legal system is all screwed up. You give the worst criminals a chance, why not this girl.
I would say that is not how the legal profession looks at this case. “She seduced and she killed,” prosecutor Timothy Freer. This quote I thought was very powerful because a prosecutor saying this is really noting that the crime: Pre-Mediated Homicide – 1st Degree – was satisfied by her having contemplated the act. That is what must be accepted as true, a jury convicted. However, I think the fault lay in the mitigating factors – i.e. take the crime and reduce by applying factors that lessen the blow. This is where I see fault, mitigating factors were not applied appropriately.
Take away this girl’s narrative and she is brutal killer. The crime of 1st Degree Murder in PA has two penalties – Life or Death.
Dear , “J” ..
After reading your post I must say you propose an interesting argument, for yourself. Please print out and review what you have written and just maybe you might scale down your opinion. This is coming from a 17 year old conservative black republican. If that urgues you to reveiw your opinion further.
Please realize your ignorance sir.
If a 17 year black republican you are, get help. Realise my ignorance? Realise reality, boy. She hung out with shit, and she got a little on her. Case closed. How about the crimes around the country where the victims had no part in the crime. They were home minding there own business, productive citizens, and then one of these thugs enter their life and take it. Lets compromise. She saved the taxpayers a fortune by removing this degenerate from future imprisonment. Give her a private cell.
Calling a black person ‘boy’ is unacceptable because it was a term white people used in diminution. The hatefulness of this comment is reflective of the ignorance of the author.
Stop wasting peoples time with such childishness. Another white guy screams racism. Funny, that was done to you by Jerry and did he ever apologise? How dare you “educate” me on what is appropriate language to use for a young boy–do you know how old I am? What would you call a younger man than youself? White people Screaming racism in defense of supposedly a black 17 year old boy, is just more paternalistic racism from white liberals. You are going to resort to throwing language obstacles to me. Why dont you stop using the English language, after all it is the language that slave owners–black and white–used to call black slaves ugly names. Amazing how much dodging a smart guy like you goes through when someone asks you for the finding that the impoverished white is as criminal as the impoverished black. Dig around that male purse of yours and find me those stats. It has to be exhausting for someone who doesnt see race such as yourself to always be the first to scream racism. But hey, you made junior feel better. Maybe he can be an astronaut thanks to you. Or a physicist. Poverty is why there are so few Einsteins in Mozambique, right.
I re-read it and when considering your previous racial assaults I think it was veiled attack. Looking at the placement and function of the comma it was used to emphasize the following term of ‘boy’ . Further, while he is a boy, that particular usage invokes a negative stereotype. Grammatically, its actually a tough mistake to make without an implied diminution. I wholly reject your claim.
Obviously you didn’t read the above comments where Jerry was inviting me to be a guest on his radio show, “I want you to be heard Michael, you have an even toned voice of reasoning that does not favor one side over the other,just straight up fairness.” …
Look at the distribution of crime related to densely populated urban areas with high employment. Then consider the (one of the many) institutional biases.
“”"
In a survey of 1,338 members of the public on a scale of 1-10 for “fairness,” the public rated the California courts at 5.3. In the same survey Blacks gave the courts a 4.0 rating for fairness. Strong majorities of Blacks, Indians, and Hispanics, felt that a minority defendant will be treated more harshly than a white defendant for a crime against a white victim.
But of 828 judges, lawyers and court employees, lawyers gave the courts only a 3.5 rating in fairness to minorities. More than 4/5ths of the judges in the same survey were white and they gave themselves a 7.7 rating on fairness.
“”"
http://www.pubdef.ocgov.com/poverty.htm
I don’t dodge the issue, rather its opposite. Personal hatred blinds you from seeing what potential circumstances and factors go into a statistic. Simply because you throw out bold claims does not mean you are a visionary.
Also, I am putting my name, picture, and thoughts for the world to see. I invite you to do the same.
J -
You are so ridiculous it has almost become comical.
What is clear to everyone EXCEPT you is this: You spew verbal vomit from your own personal feeling of offense. The more you write the more you expose your foolish, emotionally unstable ignorance. Your claims are as ignorant as you are.
I pity you.
I am glad you noted this. This is the reason I think J’s comments must be preserved. In other forums they are simply deleted…. Continual commentary only helps to subvert his caustic message.
I agree with that Michael.
You guys are committed to not deleting or moderating any comment, and that is brave.I do not think very many blogs with this level of a following is doing that.
The comments made by the anonymous heckler should stand as an example of what we must overcome in our society.
I applaud all involved with this exchange, and it serves as a public service.
I would be interested in the age of ”J”, and what his/her proper name is.That, although I do not expect that level of ownership on his part,it would shed light as to where this particular commentor is coming from.
Two weeks into this, and I still have no new information,just the same old racist proclemations, and I say that with all due respect J.
The more data we have, then we can form an opinion as to the validity of this posters diatribe, which is that he hates all races outside of the caucasian race, and that the rest of us, even when we are proven to be intelligent, really can not be,due to our pigmentation.
These are theories that I am intersted in ,but it is hard to find a logical rational conversation on it by those that believe that to be true.
It always comes out more emotional than thoughtful, thus the name calling, and the lack of decorum.
Jerrybri–”It always comes out more emotional than thoughtful, thus the name calling, and the lack of decorum.”
Tell me about all your decorum when you were calling the same people whose ass you have come comfortable next to, that they were bigots.
Im actually very interested in more of your examples of white racism in Hollywood. Please share some more. I will.
Is there a way to ban J from this website?
He’s not really accomplishing anything now, he’s just being weird and slightly obnoxious.
I happen to live in the same community as Sara, and it deeply disturbs me that the system appears to have tunnel vision, yes she committed a crime. yes she deserves to be punished,but at which point do we take into account that Sara was 11being groomed for prostitution, psychologically brianed wash, to believe that money for sex equalled quality. I believe it wasn’t murder that she consenplated, but a way out, hope for a brighter future, that resulted in murder. Our justice system has to stop feeling defeated by youth crimes and began to reprogram ourselves to think rehabilitatiion is a must! Not to mention that the house that he housed the girls in still resides….I remember, as a teen running when I got close to the house, in an effort to avoid being lurred in, a fear that there wouldn’t be away out!
I believe, more than the racial discrimination, it would be valuable to consider how disproportionate the sentences are that are given to abused women who slay their “husbands” or partners who abuse them. Most of the women in prison for murder are there for killing abusive mates and are given sentences quite different than men are given for killing mates.
I find it nausiating that this woman has grown up in prison. We are not a civilized country at all.
I don’t think she should be in jail for the rest of her life. However, one almost sure way of staying out of prison is to not commit a crime. She had no right to kill that man as he had no right to prostitute her. She was at a point in her life where she’d ridded herself of him in some form. There was no reason to rob and kill him on behalf of anyone else. She should’ve accepted the plea. I don’t feel sorry for her. I wish I could, but I don’t. I’m black, and find it hard to cry racism in the case of someone clearly guilty. The fact that some groups receive harsher sentences than others should serve as a deterrent. I don’t have nifty statistics, but I do have common sense. I am not lazy nor am I ignorant or a bastard as was suggested in another post.
nicole you are black dam that makes it worse, you come from the same neighbourhood as her dam that makes your comments even more worse, her mother was drug addict and abused her, so from the start her life was doomed, your parents are your first and most important teachers and her parent already failed her….wonder where her drug addicted mother is now. sarah was damaged from the start the fact that an outsider was able to groom her rape her and then sell her is the second stage of her doomed life. how can you say you dont feel sorry for her, are you crazy girl. in the congo children are stolen from their homes and brain washed and forced to be soldiers and kill, is it also their fault that they have now killed? did they know better? could they have done better? hell no!!!! the circumstances that put them in this position are to blame. this girl was a victim of her mothers abuse, her pimps abuse and white americas abuse on minorities. How dear you as black women from the same community be so dead to the fact that her circumstances led to this crime and although a form of punishment was and is in order taking her life is not!!!…. im from england, london and we black women are different we fight to support our own, we are very aware of the economic and social disfunctions of our black communities but we stick together and support causes of injustice. thank god above that our country is not as barbarick as yours life without parole for under 18s is an offence against human rights and we would lobby we would petition we would bring our city to stand still if that kind of punishment was ever attemped, where are your balls black lady, my nubian sister, stop thinking of your self as a singular we are all one and sarah kruzan is a reflection of all of us. get up stop blogging and put your blackness to some good use. let me guess your black middle class, errrrrrrr republican…..go read your history darling go found out who you are, after you have done that read the history of brutality commited by white europeans and then tell me about crimes.. dam isnt america the third world country that left black victims of katrina to die, that was a crime. bet you didnt have an opinion about that, but you want to chat shit about your own nubian sister…..girl grow some blackness
So what the majority here is saying is, it’s okay to kill someone premeditatedly in cold blood, if your abused as a child?… now THAT is why america is f**ed up. Y0u people think everyone deserves a hand out.
SHE KILLED SOMEONE plain and damn simple. It wasn’t in self defense it was planned. She deserves the time for murdering someone. Yes what he did was wrong, but at 16 you have the common sense not to get involved with a man TWICE your age to begin with, so, double fail.
I think there is an issue with articulation. People feel that the circumstances surrounding the murder must be considered. While I think it is doubtful that any reasonable person would accept these mitigating factors as a complete defense, surely it can be taken into account. Life without parole for a 16 year old may be too harsh. There is a massive cognitive difference between a 12 year old, 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 etc… As children generally experience a longer period of youthfulness, it is rather hard to justify applying the exact same punishment as the older person. Legislatures don’t even trust a 20 year old to purchase alcohol. While pre-mediated murder is malum in se (naughty by nature) and not just a statutory violation, a 16 year old should be old enough to consciously realize “right from wrong”. Then again, did a 16 year old under her grievous circumstances really have the right equipment to make a decision with true regard for consequences? I think what people are saying overall is that, while she deserves to be punished, it must be tempered with rehabilitation. Thus, life without parole is not a fair or just sentence.
Finally, someone gets it. It’s not that she commited the crime that is being argued it’s the lack of mental maturity. When you’re 11 you don’t have the capablity to decide what is morally wrong, at 13 when all you know is pain, pleasure regardless of how or what kind is a high and by 16 you know it doesn’t “feel” right. But having already been so violated what does it matter? He was a pig for having done what he did to her. She has never said she was not guilty, she admits that she needed to be punished but to what extent is the question.
I can explain why your analysis is irrelevant even easier than that, first Michael.
The issue isn’t guilt vs. innocence or punishment vs. freedom. It is a question of whether life without parole is an appropriate sentence for minors. It is a question worth asking since the US is one of the only countries to allow this it. Another question is whether the death penalty is ever appropriate for minors.
Nobody is excusing the murder, and it is not necessary to see every issue as starkly black and white.
Thanks for your comment.
Michael, she was not 16 when she “got involved” with the older man, she was 11 from a broken home and easy to manipulate (after all she was 11). He pretended to be a father to her and then raped her. So i disagree with you comment about ‘getting with an older man’, i hardly consider rape, ‘getting with someone’.
who said she had common sense.daaaaaaa!!!!! how the hell do you know she had common sense dont you know that common sense aint common….as you are a prime example. also just like to make a point sean bell age 23 was murdered by four cops who shoot him 50 times, all four were aquitted. sean bell was a unarmed man. one particular officer shoot him 30 times and reloaded his gun twice. he killed sean bell in cold blood. he and the rest are not in jail, now let me tell you something THAT is why america is ******** UP!!!!!
@Keely-you state the facts and the truth well, while it may be inconvenient for all to hear, you’ve posted several truths.
@Michael-great work in fostering this dialogue, I stumbled across this page and will bookmark as it is a very necessary cause to fight. I will reach out to the Color of Change to see if a petition has begun on Sarah’s behalf. They’ve proven to be very effective in cases like this.
@D.M.Manes-thank you for helping “Micheal” (not Kraemer) understand the real issue. We must not lose focus of the fact that this law must change and that it’s disproportionate us against minority children is unconscionable.
These ?’s and comment are for Michael. Have you ever been a 13 year old who had a drug addicted mom? Do you know what it is like to be groomed by a pimp at 11? You cannot know what is going on in a child’s mind that has gone through that unless you’ve actually experienced that too.
This is so true, and at such a tender age she has not even reached her teen years when he recruited this girl. He’s lucky she did’nt have family that cared cause had it been me or one of mine there’s not telling what I myself woud’ve done. So to all you people talking about she got what she deserved in being sentenced to life without parole think of it if it would’ve been your daughter, sister, mother or yourself then tell me would you still be singing the same song….UNBELIEVABLE
Yes, I believe the rape , mental abuse and manipulation are being underestimated…
Rape should never be considered benign,and I bet the fact that she was forced in to prostitution is being diminished here as well.
There are a multitude of mitigating factors that need to be considered…
I think people are confusing the concepts of common sense and wisdom. Common sense is… well, common. Wisdom is uncommon sense. Also, I’m going to throw the absurd notion out there that America is probably one of the least “f’d up” countries in the world.
This thread has become rather retarded, in my humble and equally retarded-prone opinion.
Once again our justice system has failed to defend the victim. Yes, Sarah committed a crime but she was also a victim. It disturbs me that her ruling judge could not see the innocence of a child when looking down at her from his bench. Perhaps he’s been in his position for so long that he no longer was able to distinguish between an act of desperate liberation and utter cruelty.
This young woman did not have a chance. dad’s in jail ma’s strung out on drugs, she hits the streets and becomes a trafficking victim at 13. what was she supposed to do? so she was a victim, and at 16 became a survivor when she killed the pimp. That’s what it was- not premeditated murder, but killing to survive .
she should never have been prosecuted. She certainly does not belong in prison.
I read through all of your comments. I was floored by a few on here (J)!! Really J, you must be an idiot. I would love to know where you are from.
Yes, Sarah murdered someone. But that someone was a worthless piece of sh*t. No, it does not excuse her actions. She should serve a sentence for it. But life without, come on now people. I don’t know much about the law and i’m not going to pretend I do. BUT, I do not believe she should live out her days in a cell. The justice system should have a structured set of rules and guidelines, they should also use a little discretion in each case.
What was Sarahs state of mind when this murder occured? Even if it were after the fact her mind was still in a whole different place then the reasonable person.
As far as the racism on here, my god people. Take a break. I know it will always be around. But that is because of ignorant people like those posting nasty messages here.
Here is Sarah’s contact information in prison…
Sara Kruzan
# w 59700
c 512.122low
P.O box 1508
Chowchilla, Ca.93610-1508
I thought that some of you might want to contact her,I plan on sending a holiday card.
Again,I do not support killing anyone, but a child molesting pimp…I understand.
Like as it has been suggested here…mitigating circumstances.She probably needed some sort of mental counseling more so than eternal incarceration.
Thanks I will be writing her
I really wish we of had the knowledge and laws in place on Human Trafficking when this took place, maybe it would have helped her. She is a classic example of domestic sex trafficking in minors. Has anyone heard on the rulings from the Supreme Court on the two cases they heard on November 9th ?
I recieved a letter/christmas card from Sara. 6 lawyers are now working on her case!
That is excellent! It would be great to see if this case can become a focal point for the debate on juvenile justice.
Good!!!!!
Thank you for covering this story. Sara is my friend and sister. She did the crime – YES! Does she deserve Life without Parole – NO! At the time that Sara was sentenced, the term “Human Trafficking” essentially did not exist. If “human trafficking” existed, Sara’s pimp would have been listed on Megan’s Law and he would have been a known Pedophile. The sad thing is, would he have received a Life sentence for what he did to Sara? Sara was raped and violated at the age of 11 by a grown man and then sent out on the streets to prostitute her young body at 13 years old. After all of that, how could anyone expect her to have “moral scruples” as the judge described at the time of her sentencing. Sara has since grown into an amazing, intelligent woman who truly deserves a second chance at life. Sara’s growth in prison proves that her growth outside of prison would benefit the lives of others.
I understand she has attorney’s working for her release right now, but I think it would be wise if she spread her image. The legal battle is secondary to the media campaign yet to begin. If possible, she should try to make more video’s to convey this rehabilitation. It’s easy for people to dismiss her in the abstract. When connected with a face it is harder for people to deny her claim.
http://www.freesarakruzan.org/
KEEP UP THE FIGHT, SHE DESERVES TO BE FREE NOW!!! SHE HAS DONE MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME FOR HER CRIME, MAY GOD FORGIVE ME, BUT HE DESERVED IT.
Sara story
Sara Kruzan, now 31. She was raised in Riverside by her abusive, drug-addicted mother. Sara met her father only three times in her life because he was in prison. Since the age of 9, Sara suffered from severe depression for which she was hospitalized several times.
At the age of 11, she met a 31-year-old man named G.G. who molested her and began grooming her to become a prostitute. At age 13, she began working as a child prostitute for G.G. and was repeatedly molested by him. At age 16, Sara was convicted of killing him.
She was sentenced to prison for the rest of her life despite her background and a finding by the California Youth Authority that she was amendable to treatment offered in the juvenile system. (See video of Sara Kruzan).“
Life without parole means absolutely no opportunity for release,” said Senator Yee. (of California) “It also means minors are often left without access to programs and rehabilitative services while in prison.
This sentence was created for the worst of criminals that have no possibility of reform and it is not a humane way to handle children. While the crimes they committed caused undeniable suffering, these youth offenders are not the worst of the worst.
where was social services for her and the police to get this scum off the street in the first place she should be free now she served her time she was child who had been abused all her life and had mental health problems she should never gone to prison in the first place.
GWSSF in England in UK have a campaign running to get her a pardon on face book .
I do think it is wrong and immoral for any juveniles – and the legal definition is under 18 years of age – to be sentenced to life without possibility of parole. 16 year olds cannot vote or buy alcohol. they cannot sign contracts. do we just say “they were old enough to know better”?? why? how? of course she committed a horrible crime, and she must face the consequences. but as a society we have effectively taken away her life before she is able to live it, to be an adult. this is difficult.
I am sorry to be so blunt here, as I have read a lot of comments on this case and article.
Basically, I personally do not think that killing a child rapist/pimp is a crime.
I think we should have had a parade for her down central park!
All human life is not sacred, and this is one that deserved to be extinguished.
So, I am over the phony sentiment of …she did kill a human…
So what…if she was my daughter, I would have done it myself, but since the men in her life were absent or pimps…
she had to do it herself, no matter how it went down, it is justified.
This young woman has already served 14 years of her life, she was locked away at 16, that’s just about half her life… SHE WAS ABUSED! Is this what we are teaching our children, it’s ok to abuse them? what she did was wrong, however, any which way you cut it, IT WAS SELF DEFENCE! I don’t care how planned the actual ac…t was, this child was cut and dry ABUSED, and her young, little mind could not process, handle or deal with the consequences of the actions that were being perpetuated agains’t her. This young woman took justice into her own hands because society FAILED her, and although the ends may have been extreme, would you want what she went through to happen to you daughter, your sister, your cousin??? Has anyone stopped to think about how many lives SHE SAVED that day, she killed her abuser??? How many other children would never have to be sold or abused by that man??? Where is Sarah’s JUSTICE??????????????????????????????????????????????????
No, it was not self-defense. She was no longer with the pimp. She was living with another man. She lured her former pimp, slept with him, shot him to death and robbed him postmordem. Even she admits that what she did was wrong.
The issue here is whether or not there should be some action by the legislature to provide lesser sentences for juvenile offenders who commit crimes like hers in light of their emotional and mental immaturity. Had she been a 16-year-old from a good home with no mitigating circumstances, I frankly would have no problem with a life-without-parole sentence. In her case, however, I feel that she was essentially turned into a sociopath by the circumstances of her life, and if she has been healed and rehabilitated, she should go free.
I get all the punishment needs. But life without the opportunity for parole ever for a young girl. This isn’t to say that she should ever ever ever get out; but what’s wrong with giving the parole board the opportunity to look at her in 10, 15 or 20 years? They can say no; but at least she’ll be given an opportunity, some hope, that if she becomes a better person that there’s a chance she can move on. I’d put it to the parole board after an appropriate amount of time. Just my thoughts. And, oh, by the way, many people call me one of those right wing radicals. But, right is right. I see no sense in permanently denying FOREVER this girl the opportunity to ever get out. Makes no sense to me.
I am very moved by this story. I am very Spiritual and know that this is a serious crime. But we serve a forgiving God and we need to teach this to our people. I have a 11 yr old and if some man did to her what he did, I would kill him myself. (mentally of course) My daughter is very precious to me and no man has the right to rape, abuse, and use her. She did not have a support system in place and that matters. She did not have a protector and that matters. She didn’t even have a dead beat dad around to kill this pimp. Any one who had sex with her or saw her on a corner is guilty. Somebody should have helped her. Now she has to rot in prison while other pimps out there do the same thing to another young girl. Mr Judge. Hope your dtr stays precious because this could be your dtr.
THis is an outrage. There is no equivolacy to a capital murder in this case. There was mental and physical damage done to a minor! There is the injustice. Sarah should have gotten a lighter sentence and been held under some type of mental counseling. Words cannot describe how I feel about this case. It shows that there really isn’t any help for juvenile offenders. Life without parole. . . She may as well had killed herself whenever she committed the crime.
I want to go off right now after reading all the comments but I’m tired and I’m going to keep it short. I’m so sad for this girl not to mention all the other inocent children going through similar situations that she has experienced. I believe that it is wrong to kill- in her case self defense for all the shit this piece of crap put her through and yes she saved other young prostitutes from this evil thing you call human. Any human that puts their hands on a not mentally developed child that cant defend him/her self is not human and deserves to die. Her life was already shitty than to have this fake suppose to be dad in her life that turned out to be a slime bag, I would kill him too. She definetly did more than her time and she needs to be released, too bad it wasn’t sooner.
My 13 year old daughter said to me the other day that “as children our whole reality consists of what other people tell us”. What was this little girls reality?
Yes she sould be held accountable for her actions but they need to be judged in the context of her reality.
We are provided our moral compass by our parents and other adults. It seams her only parental figures were a drug addict mother and a child abussing pimp.
As for celebrating the death of her victim lets just take a moment to remember that we don’t know what cercumstances created his life and we need to hold compasion and judgment in equal mesure for all.
I wish her the best. Hold your heads high that you live in a society where this discussion can be held openly and passionatly. pluralisim is the great gift and heavy burden of a free society.
this is my opinion, but i think, i’d use the term pedifile when refering to the murdered victim, not pimp.
Plain and simple. If it were acceptable on who we could determine should live or die, this world be rid of murders, rapist, the list is never ending. Someone said it should not be “an eye for an eye”. So it was okay to kill this man, whom she had gotten away from, but not okay for her to get the punishment for the crime? The crime seems to have been committed out of greed for money and maybe she felt no remorse out of revenge. So, if we are all allowed to kill those who has wronged us, will we all be set free? No. I work with so many people on a daily basis who have been raped, molested, mutilated, devastated and outright degraded in ways many people could never know, but they did not choose to kill the people who did such awful things to them. They know that their lives are more important than serving it in jail. It can’t be okay for 1 person to do something wrong and get away with it, but yet the rest of society has to pay when they do it. It would be great to have the court transcripts or even why she was convicted so harshly. If the judge stated she had no scruples or morals, it may have been based on her actions and if she even was sorry she took a life.. even if the life to her or anyone else…was worthless.
you said because of her upbring she did not have any morals but what kind of grossly ignorant person thinks its ok to kill someone.
I must be a horrible experience, what happened to Sara. I can relate to her, I was sexually abused and my life when not over a path of roses, no the roses were cut off, and they left the thorns for me to walk barefoot over.
I wonder, Sara must have developed in her young years some kind of mental condition. Maybe some kind of Borderline?
Have they considered that?
To assume that the little girl is as ‘normal’ as children of that age that live in a ‘normal’ loving parented and secure environment, is totally wrong and is a proof of mal justice.
She deserves a new trial … . And she deserves well looked after with loving care.
Best Tess
We need to exercise caution here folks. I have some issues here with the train of thought that seems to be rolling around.
(1) Mentally no one ever is fully developed. I don’t see the big picture the same way as my elders (I’m 40), My 21 year old doesn’t see and analyze things the way I do, my 13 year old doesn’t analyze and see things to the level of my 21 year old does. And a 9 year old isn’t on the same level as my 13 year old. And the 70 year old, Old Sect Amish lady, will not be even in the same book as a 25 year old woman that has been left by her husband to raise their kids by herself.
But at what age does someone realize when you kill someone it is permanent? Should we govern by broad strokes stating that the age of 12 is the age of accountability for everyone no matter the documented mental development of the individual? Is EVERYONE under the age of 18 pliable? After you turn 18 does a switch flip in the brain that slows the success rate of reform? Is the 16 year old that brutally kills the gay student as easy to reform as the 27 year old that kills her husband that was molesting their 2 year old daughter? How about the teenager that goes to school and shoots everyone there that was brutally bullying them and the school and parents did not intervene? You’re so focused on a tree you’re not seeing the forest.
Maybe maturity level should be the guide post here. Is there a way to have it tested? How do you implement testing on everyone across the country? How do you determine the test is not being falsified? You don’t want them to flunk the test to get out of trouble so it needs to be done periodically, before the crap hits the fan. What happens when the 30 year old with kids tests below level? Because I guarantee they exist. Do we use the maturity level test to determine when they can go to work, get a drivers license, get married, have kids? Surely if we are going to use maturity level to determine if they are accountable for their murderous actions we would use it in regards to ALL other aspects of human life as well. Should we implement an IQ test to go along with the maturity level test as a way of diagnosing bigger problems? A standardized IQ and maturity level required for all things important in society. Especially having children which is the biggest responsibility a person will ever have! Truly, If you screw up your child it will be affected for generations and society will have to deal with the shortcomings of your family
(2)Her going back and killing and robbing her EX-Pimp is the same as me going back and killing and robbing my physically abusive ex-husband. It is a harsh but true fact. Other than I was raised in an adoptive home that at least tried to teach me right from wrong. So maybe she really needed to “off” her worthless parents since “Cause in fact” would place blame with them. Mom and Dad both get a tall tree and a short rope since none of us would even be blogging about this if they would have been worth the powder and lead to blow their brains out. Why is it everyone is willing to kill the pimp themselves but mom and dad gets a pat on the hand? Dad gets off the hook by splitting and mom checks out withdrugs and its okay! I am really struggling with the idea circulating in this country that parents are not liable or responsible for their kids. I hate excuses. The pimp wouldn’t be in the picture if the parents were plain and simple.
(3)And when do we allow ourselves to become judge and jury? Its okay for her to kill a pimp because we see that pimp as a leech on the butt of society. Who gets to decide who the leeches are? Do we justify the murder of gays because homosexuality goes against the Torah and the Bible, as does being born a basterd? We kill off the prostitutes because they spread disease, detract from how women view themselves as a whole, and reportedly affect the stability of marriages? Of course we kill off all pedophiles because; well they are truly the worst of all humanity. But how about the parents that don’t take care for their kids and raise them properly to become active contributing members of society, are the kids justified in killing them off? Do we kill off everyone that is on Social Security Disability and welfare because they are not contributing members of society? The KKK will want everyone that is not white eliminated. The Christians will be getting rid of all the Pagans. Muslims will get rid of everyone that is not Muslim. Single moms will eliminate every man that has left a child. Good parents will get rid of all the parents that took drugs, drank or smoke while pregnant, that ever let a child be abused or that put their job as more important than family. Environmentalists will get rid of all CEO’s that have companies that pollute. How about politicians, give themselves raises, make crazy freaking laws which they themselves don’t obey, they would be toward the top of my list of “First to Go”. Be careful when you assign value to human life, your value may be as fertilizer in a remote corn field.
I would rather make the boy that was sent to prison guilty of murdering his class mates my poster child. At least in his argument he was still being abused on a daily basis. His hope for escape was destroyed the night before his breakdown (US military turned him down because he used prescription meds to control ADHD) the school and parents were aware and done nothing. Again you don’t know what it is like till you walk those shoes yourself. Or how about the man in Florida that just got nailed by the justice system for finally freaking out and boarding a bus full of kids and screaming (didn’t touch one of them) at them for bullying his child that has cerebral palsy? Have you reviewed his sentence?
Or my favorite is the 20 prisoners in Virginia that are kept in solitary confinement because they won’t cut their hair for religious reasons, really, some of them have been in SOLITARY confinement for 15 years. Several religions emphasize or require not cutting hair. And of course if you’re so hard core as to require solitary confinement you are not eligible for parole. At least this chick gets to talk to people while doing her time.
Truly there are other cases out there that have more merit and need to be recognized more than this one.
Be careful of the can you open, it may look like ordinary worms but what if it is more?
Traditional natives have a 7 generation rule. Everything is weighed by its impact on the future generations. That is something that white society should implement on daily life and the legal system.
We could allow voluntary tubals and vasectomys for anyone wanting them. Just think, if this girls mom had been allowed to have a tubal done when young than have it reversed when she found herself ready. This whole mess could have been avoided. And look at the money the tax payer would save in prison cost, foster care, legal fees, medical care for addicted babies, etc. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Currently we are sticking Neosporin band aids on gangrene.
Out of all the comments that I read, and the articals I have seen….it appears no one has posted the name of the jugde that handed down the sentence. What was the jury thinking? I know they are not scared to do so…are they?
During the final hours of his California Governorship, Arnold Schwarzeneggar commuted Sarah’s sentence to 25 to life, with the possibility of parole…
There is light at the end of the tunnel!
Thanks for the update!!!!
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=149598&title=Clemency%20of%20juvenile%20killer%20gives%20Yee%20hope
this is so sad she need to come home……its just not fair….
Im having mixed emotions i believe that no one should take a life.. but this poor girl lived a hard life.She didnt have anyone to help her and give her good advice. She was abused in every way possible.Its crazy to think that if it was that guy that got caught and convicted for what he did to her he wouldn’t have gotten half of her sentence. :(
Hi Dear, are you actually visiting this web site on a regular basis, if
so after that you will absolutely obtain pleasant knowledge.
This post provides clear idea for the new people of blogging, that really how to do blogging and site-building.