A Shocking Case

Police know from academy/candidate training that they are not allowed to question minors without a parent or guardian present. If these 2 violated these rights, the child's confession is inadmisable. Not only that, but this case will now probably never come to trial. These police officers should be censured, fired, and be subject to prosecution, if for no other reason, stupidity.

i am a 65 yr old nam vet and thought i had seen the end of the mistreatment of children by adults in power! never would have believed it ! if i hadnt seen it! the open abuse of a child by police officers on tape! shocking and unreal that it was allowed to happen in this country!!  God Bless America!

I think the handling of this case is deplorable. I am a forensic psychologist and am fully versed in how suggestible children can be and the heighted propensity toward making a false confession if not questioned properly.  If the media account is accurate about how the boy was questioned....then there is a signifcant probability that his statements are not a product of reality, but rather a product leading, coercive, and suggestive questioning.

The boy NEVER should have been questioned without his Mother and an attorney present in the room with the boy and the interrogators.  His confession is TOTALLY inadmissable.  I cannot believe these officiers could proceed with such incompetent behavior and that no one else in the station could stop it.  Lots of blame for lots of people who are supposed to protect this boy's rights.  It seems as if stupidity is a strong suit of most police officers these days.  Sad, but true.

Hindsight is always 20/20.  The boy was not in custody at the time of questioning.  Therefore marada warnings and the presence of a parent are not revelent.  Based upon the fact known at the time the boy might well have been a victim.  the police were surprised by the confession.

As a Forensic Psychologist and Certified Forensic Consultant, as well as a mother of 5 with one of them being an 8 year old son, I believe that interrogators were not questioning the 8 year old boy because they considered him a suspect, they were questioning him because he may have had relevant information and may have known something regarding perhaps threats or suspicious individuals hanging around his home.  In the interim of the questioning, he confessed to the crimes, and investigators were then led to the realization that he was the suspect that they were not questioning a potential witness, but the actual assailant.  I also believe that these interrogators were not under the assumption that this 8 year old boy needed an attorney when the interrogation began since he was not considered the suspect at the time of the interrogation.  This case is a tragedy.  Now that the 8 year old has allegedly confessed he needs to have a many psychological evaluations as well as a support team to see just how his mental status is. On a different note, since I am a mother of 5, I believe an investigation must also be made on the video games this boy played within his home and with friends, since many of these games are about aiming,shooting, killing and getting points for how well this is done.  As a Forensic Psychologist I would investigate sexual abuse, emotional abuse and/or physical abuse by the victim towards his son.  Remember no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. 

As a Forensic Psychologist and Certified Forensic Consultant, as well as a mother of 5 with one of them being an 8 year old son, I believe that interrogators were not questioning the 8 year old boy because they considered him a suspect, they were questioning him because he may have had relevant information and may have known something regarding perhaps threats or suspicious individuals hanging around his home.  In the interim of the questioning, he confessed to the crimes, and investigators were then led to the realization that he was the suspect that they were not questioning a potential witness, but the actual assailant.  I also believe that these interrogators were not under the assumption that this 8 year old boy needed an attorney when the interrogation began since he was not considered the suspect at the time of the interrogation.  This case is a tragedy.  Now that the 8 year old has allegedly confessed he needs to have a many psychological evaluations as well as a support team to see just how his mental status is. On a different note, since I am a mother of 5, I believe an investigation must also be made on the video games this boy played within his home and with friends, since many of these games are about aiming,shooting, killing and getting points for how well this is done.  As a Forensic Psychologist I would investigate sexual abuse, emotional abuse and/or physical abuse by the victim towards his son.  Remember no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. 

These officers are looking only at the boy BUt what if they are wrong. How in the world could he have shoot these grown men without one of them being able to fight back in some sort of way? Was the house in disarray? If he shot the roommate first don't you think Dad would have ran downstairs and threw something at him to get him to release the gun? What is this kid weigh about 50 pounds, your telling me one of these grown men wouldn't have smacked that shotgun right out of his hands. This is all wrong the kid is telling the police what they want to hear meanwhile the real killer is on the loose. These police should be pulled off the case and get some real investigators involved.