Arkansas School Killer Release Brings Questions Of Justice (moved from ATSNN), page 1

Mitchell Johnson, who was just 13 years of age when he and an 11 year old friend shot and killed 5 people at an Arkansas school in 1998 is scheduled for release this Thursday. The release, coinciding with Johnsons 21st birthday, is raising questions of justice and sentencing laws for minors committing serious crime. The two boys charged under laws at the time were to be incarcerated until their 18th birthdays and that was streteched out with further firearms charges to hold them until they turned 21.

www.usatoday.com
Release of Ark. school killer raises questions of justice
By Mark Memmott, USA TODAY
Mitchell Johnson was a 13-year-old boy in 1998 when he and an 11-year-old friend ambushed and murdered four children and a teacher in Jonesboro, Ark. On Thursday he was to be a free man.

Though federal officials would not confirm the release, a local prosecutor said he would have been told if it had not happened.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

The laws have changed now after this event but if Johnson is released this year then he has served just 7 years whereas the families of the victims were given a life sentence without their loved ones.

In cases like these I am glad the laws are getting harsher but it still doesn't answer the question of why these young teenagers with a life ahead of them committed such tragic crimes against their schoolmates and teachers.