Alyssa Bustamante

[Soul Bound X]

So this is an old story. I'm sure atleast a few of you have heard about it. On October 21, 2009, 15 year-old Alyssa Bustamante led her 9 year old neighbor, Elizabeth Olten, into the woods where she had dug a grave a week before. There she proceeded to strangle and stab her to death then bury her body. Elizabeth was on her way home from a friend's house. When she didn't turn up her parents became very worried knowing that their daughter was afraid of the dark and wouldn't go wandering off by herself. So after about an hour, her parents called the police to tell them that their child was missing. The police searched for Elizabeth with no luck until a source led them to Alyssa. Alyssa led them to the place where she had buried Elizabeth and when asked why she did it she gave them the simple answer "I wanted to know what it felt like." When police searched her house they found her diary. After the murder she had written "I just fucking killed someone. I strangled them and stabbed them and slit their throat now they're dead. I don't know how to feel atm." Later she wrote "It was ahmazing. After you get over the 'oh my gawd I can't do this' feeling, it's pretty enjoyable. I'm kinda nervous and shaky right now though. Kay, I gotta go to church now...lol." She was sentenced to life in prison with a chance of parole.
I wanted to bring this up to see what you guys think about giving minors, or people who aren't adults, life sentences. I personally don't think it is a moral thing to do. Especially in this case. This girl was actually very social and 'normal' (besides the murder of course) . She had no history of violence and showed no signs of social retardation. It wasn't until she started taking an increased dose of prozac that she 2 weeks later killed a 9 year old. She also gave a very sincere apology to the family in court. I think a life sentence for someone so young and under the effects of bad legal drugs was WAY too harsh. I think we need a new law that makes it impossible to give children or teens life sentences. They should have to go some where that is heavy on rehabilitation. That is my opinion.

 

[RunwayMafia]

If only the deceased girl could be "rehabilitated" back to life.

 

[ColdBoreMK23]

Life sentence only?


Give her death. Blaming medications for your actions are piss poor as the side effects aren't even as severe as these daytime tv lawyers make them out to be.

Gabapentin has a side effect of suicidal ideations yet only one person out of millions of people world wide committed suicide while on gabapentin. By law and to cover their asses, ALL side effects must be listed if they are expressed even by one person on the medication.

I've seen people on maximum doses of Prozac live normal lives even with changing moods or ideations. Prozac is not a hallucinagenic nor does it "control" your mind, so a persons free will to committ crimes or murders while on it is in their own hands.

Not saying it isnt possible but unlikely.


Just my opinion.

 

[AK Stormthegates]

I took prozac when I was 15-16 and it did not make me murder people. There was something that happened beyond the drug. Depression is an ugly thing to go through and makes people do insane things.

 

[Rickyraws]

A thread about an issue that may have different opinions from two sides of the debate?

 

[Soul Bound X]

If only the deceased girl could be "rehabilitated" back to life.

I'd have the same attitude as you if it weren't for the girl's age. If it were an adult that had killed a 9 year old, I don't think anyone would disagree with giving them a life sentence, I might even be okay with putting them to death. But a 15 year old is a different story I think.

 

[ColdBoreMK23]

I'd have the same attitude as you if it weren't for the girl's age. If it were an adult that had killed a 9 year old, I don't think anyone would disagree with giving them a life sentence, I might even be okay with putting them to death. But a 15 year old is a different story I think.

If a person is old enough or almost old enough for maneuver a 2 ton piece of metal on a highway then they are capable of knowing the difference between right and wrong, at least I would hope.

 

[RunwayMafia]

I'd have the same attitude as you if it weren't for the girl's age. If it were an adult that had killed a 9 year old, I don't think anyone would disagree with giving them a life sentence, I might even be okay with putting them to death. But a 15 year old is a different story I think.

I respect your opinion, but I certainly don't agree. IMO, a 15 year old is cognitively aware of their actions. To me, 15 is essentially the same as 18. If the murderer was around the same age of the victim, then yeah, different measures should be taken.

 

[SHAOLIN]

Looked up Prozac: Its basically treats depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia,panic disorder and etc. Did the killer have any of these to warrant her parent to give her Prozac.


"Eye for an Eye"

 

[Eldriken]

The fact that she said it was enjoyable is reason enough to give her a life sentence.

 

[Soul Bound X]

I respect your opinion, but I certainly don't agree. IMO, a 15 year old is cognitively aware of their actions. To me, 15 is essentially the same as 18. If the murderer was around the same age of the victim, then yeah, different measures should be taken.

I also think 15 year olds are very mature but they still have a lot of maturing to do. I don't think they are mature enough to be labeled as adults or treated like one either.

 

[MrSoloLobo]

I also think 15 year olds are very mature but they still have a lot of maturing to do. I don't think they are mature enough to be labeled as adults or treated like one either.

Dude, at 15 you know what you are doing. You know what is acceptable and what isn't. Killing because it is enjoyable is not acceptable.

 

[Soul Bound X]

Dude, at 15 you know what you are doing. You know what is acceptable and what isn't. Killing because it is enjoyable is not acceptable.

I know. I don't think she killed someone and then when caught was like "oh, I didn't know I couldn't do that. Whoops." More like she made a mistake. A big, HUGE mistake yes. But not one that I think she should suffer the rest of her life for. Even today she is a very different more mature person than she was back in 2009. And she is incredibly sorry for what she did. And I think, I actually feel almost 100% sure of, that if ever released would pose no threat to society.

 

[coolwhip]

S This girl was actually very social and 'normal' (besides the murder of course).

I'm sorry but I laughed reading this.

 

[coolwhip]

I know. I don't think she killed someone and then when caught was like "oh, I didn't know I couldn't do that. Whoops." More like she made a mistake. A big, HUGE mistake yes. But not one that I think she should suffer the rest of her life for. Even today she is a very different more mature person than she was back in 2009. And she is incredibly sorry for what she did. And I think, I actually feel almost 100% sure of, that if ever released would pose no threat to society.

That's not how things work. We don't know if she's matured, and we don't know just how "sorry" she is, and we certainly don't know if she would pose a threat to society.

 

[MrSoloLobo]

I know. I don't think she killed someone and then when caught was like "oh, I didn't know I couldn't do that. Whoops." More like she made a mistake. A big, HUGE mistake yes. But not one that I think she should suffer the rest of her life for. Even today she is a very different more mature person than she was back in 2009. And she is incredibly sorry for what she did. And I think, I actually feel almost 100% sure of, that if ever released would pose no threat to society.

No matter how sorry she is, how could you be sure of that? We'll just have to disagree I suppose.

 

[coolwhip]

The fact that she actually ended up enjoying her kill is consistent with serial killer behavior, by the way.

 

[Soul Bound X]

I'm sorry but I laughed reading this.

Yes. I undestand the irony . But before the murder, no one would of expected she would do something like that, according to her friends and classmates. They were even in denial saying that she was probably covering up for a boyfriend. They couldn't believe it.

 

[Braindead]

Looked up Prozac: Its basically treats depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bulimia,panic disorder and etc. Did the killer have any of these to warrant her parent to give her Prozac.


"Eye for an Eye"

I think anything that treats depressing and panic disorders and these things basically just turn off a lot of feelings. My dad used to take these pills for a long time and it's like he was drugged all the time. He wouldn't get mad, angry, sad, happy... etc. It just turns shit off. I can see it making the girl do it and write that in her diary after.

 

[Shaazzyam]

Testament to the importance of seeking help or stepping in if you know someone who may be struggling with mental issues/rough home situation. Tons of tragedies could be avoided this way.

 

[Soul Bound X]

How wrong her actions were are not lost on me. I understand how terrible it is. It just feels wrong to me to label someone, who isn't an adult yet, a monster and then lock them away for life. Because she isn't adult and is not fully matured, chances for rehabilitation and to reform are greater. So it just feels very wrong to me to lock her away for life and forget about her.

 

[rev0lver]

I completely disagree with charging minors as an adult, personally.

It's not just a social thing like "they're just kids". The brain doesn't fully develop to properly understand certain concepts until the adult years. A lot of times, child killers don't understand the gravity of death, the real comprehending of its permanence, and how it affects people. Our hatred towards what they've done clouds our judgment on the actuality of these circumstances. Pretty much every respectable psychologist, particularly child psychologists, agree that adult sentences are wrong. Being immature doesn't excuse the crime, of course, but charging someone as an adult equates a child's guilt with that of a 40 year old man who truly understands what he's doing when he kills.

IMO, she should have been sentenced until she's 18 with psychological care only to be released with evaluation. But her life shouldn't be taken away for something horrible she did as a child.

 

[SHAOLIN]

 

[Soul Bound X]

I completely disagree with charging minors as an adult, personally.

It's not just a social thing like "they're just kids". The brain doesn't fully develop to properly understand certain concepts until the adult years. A lot of times, child killers don't understand the gravity of death, the real comprehending of its permanence, and how it affects people. Our hatred towards what they've done clouds our judgment on the actuality of these circumstances. Pretty much every respectable psychologist, particularly child psychologists, agree that adult sentences are wrong. Being immature doesn't excuse the crime, of course, but charging someone as an adult equates a child's guilt with that of a 40 year old man who truly understands what he's doing when he kills.

IMO, she should have been sentenced until she's 18 with psychological care only to be released with evaluation. But her life shouldn't be taken away for something horrible she did as a child.

THIS.

 

[Braindead]

I recommend this movie:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1078188/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_16