Mentally disabled boy sentanced to 100 years (sens)

That's Texas for you.

Even if he has a mental age of 9 he still should be punished. A nine year old would know what he did was wrong.

I think a custodial sentance in this case is right (though not 100 years).

View quoted message

Well obviously the people in charge of the legal system in this country don't agree. The age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is 10. In Scotland it is currently 8, although I understand that it is generally felt this is too low and it is looking likely it may be increased, possibly to 12.

Does an IQ of 47 equate to a mental age of 9? I'd have thought it'd be an even lower mental age.

I'm not surprised - the USA is one of the few countries in the world (except maybe Iran IIRC) to execute minors and people with mental disability.

View quoted message

A nine year old without a learning disability would.

View quoted message

Yes, and this man is 18 with (apparantly) a mental age of 9.

Thats really sad. Poor boy.☹️

So for more than six hours Tuesday many witnesses testified about the severity of Aaron Hart’s mental retardation and his inability to understand his legal rights as he sat silent and shackled in a chair fidgeting and making faces however in the end none of it made a difference. The 100-year prison sentence he gave Hart in February after Hart pleaded guilty to molesting a 6 year old boy stands. Lamar County Judge Eric Clifford denied defense motions seeking either a new trial or a new sentencing hearing for Hart. His former special-education teacher testified that Hart functions below the level of a 1st grader.

First grade is 6-7 year old btw.

His actual biological age is irrelevant, he could be 75 and he still should not be tried as an adult because he lacks the ability to understand the process and the implications. He may know the difference between right and wrong, my 3 year old knows that but he has no frame of reference to be able to distinguish between drawing on walls being "wrong" and this sort of thing being wrong.

Yes he did it, no one is denying that but does he really need to be punished, and if he does should the punishment not be proportionate. How can anyone reading this account and the account of what has happened to this poor boy in prison think that a custodial sentance is that?

View quoted message

But as Roobarb has pointed out, our justice system doesn't agree with you. (Edited as requested!)

And when they say he is 18 with a mental age of 9, it doesn't necessarily translate that he has the same thinking overall of an average 9 year old, I'd imagine he may be more mature in some aspects and completely behind in others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_disabilities

Certainly, if you have a look at this page, an IQ of 40s would put you in moderately disabled and needing significant help with two or more adaptive behaviours such as getting dressed, or eating, communication, or interacting with family and friends. Most 9 year olds are able to dress and feed themselves, understand basic social niceties and can follow a chain of instructions - if this man struggles with these, he may have a mental age of 9 in some aspects but he's not likely to ever become an independent adult.

It doesn't matter that our justice system doesn't agree with me. This man was in Texas so our rules don't apply.

I feel more sorry for the little boy he forced to give him a blow job.

I feel for both of them.

Since he’s been in jail, Hart has been repeatedly raped according to his parents. The first assault allegedly by an inmate who is serving a sentence of eight years for sexual indecency with a child. That inmates mother was so disturbed she called Hart’s parents to apologize.

View quoted message

Do you? I'd much rather be forced to give someone a blowjob than be imprisoned for life

View quoted message

A mental age of around 9 could be based on an educational age of 9 without taking into consideration of emotional or social developments; plus any of the other learning and behavioural needs that go along with them.

View quoted message

Could you change that to "you one". I should have added on to my sentance with "A nine year old without a learning disability would, but a nine year old with a learning disability would not." just to clarify.

An IQ of 47 is extremely low and in this case I think the "mental age" comparisons are pointless. Suggesting he is the equivalent to a nine year old child is certainly misleading, if an age is to be put on it then it should be much younger in mny opinion. He will not have anywhere near the educational level of a nine year old. More importantly, he will lack social reasoning skills, empathy and the ability to understand the impact of his actions on the child. I don't believe for one minute that the criminal justice system is the right way to address this case.

View quoted message

I agree. Whilst there is an absolute necessity to ensure he's appropriately supervised and counselled and is unable to repeat the crime, this kind of sentance makes no sense to me.

View quoted message

WSS.

The sexual abuse of a child is a terrible thing, but it's by no means the worst thing that can happen to a person. All the calls to bring back the death penalty for paedophiles are just so far out of proportion, it's insanity.