Teen planned attack at Maryland School. To be tried as an adult?

[BigK]

I often have concerns when I read about someone this young being tried as an adult. He may be 16 but he looks like he's 12. Prison will eat him up. It sounds like he needs help more than adult punishment.

http://news.yahoo.com/documents-teen-planned-attack-maryland-school-022548520.html

Sash Nemphos is pictured in this handout booking photo provided by the Baltimore County police depar …

MONKTON, Md. (AP) — A Maryland teenager told police he planned to use a stolen handgun to kill his parents, then drive to his high school and kill students and teachers as revenge for years of bullying he suffered, according to court documents released Wednesday.

Sash Alexander Nemphos, 16, of Monkton, is charged as an adult, Baltimore County Police said in a tweet. The charges include possession of a destructive device, having a dangerous weapon on school property and theft, according to the probable cause documents.

Nemphos was confronted Saturday by police over thefts from a car and business, including a handgun. After asking him about the stolen gun several times, the 10th-grader, who officers said was clearly intoxicated, told police he was going to take the gun, drive to his school Monday, shoot the school officer, and then take the officer's gun to "kill as many teachers and students as he could."

The documents say the teen also said he had made several bombs to blow up George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology.

Police recovered from his home a handgun, three crude, homemade explosives, a suicide note, and a journal with all his plans, the probable cause documents said. He was arrested at his home.

Nemphos told officers he had intended to go through with his plan on Halloween and had taken the gun in his backpack to school. But he had forgotten the bombs so he aborted his plan, he said. He also said he was too drunk to carry out the plan, the documents said.

He said he was going to try again Monday and would stay sober to do it, the documents said.

Nemphos told police he had been bullied for years and has told teachers, but nothing was ever done.

A woman who answered the phone at Nemphos' address hung up when asked about the case.

[Guest zipperzone]

I don't think jail will do him any good. Obviously he needs professional help with his mental problems.

I wonder what the chances for a cure are?

If he was too drunk to carry off his plan at school on Oct 31, surely some teachers must have noticed.

Unfortunately the kind of publicity this case renders may serve to encourage other teens to act the same way.

[MsGuy]

Unfortunately the kind of publicity this case renders may serve to encourage other teens to act the same way.

That ship has long since sailed.

[wayout]

Frustrating problem. Clearly he needs serious psychiatric help. Does trying him as an adult provide for anything other than a longer incarceration? If he could get the help for a longer period that might be necessary than if he were tried as a minor (which I assume would require him to be released when he is 18), then that might make sense to try him as an adult. That is assuming he would be able to get the psychiatric help needed. I totally admit I am guessing how the differences between the two actually work.

The problems with school shootings isn't going to get any better soon unless something really changes. Be it gun laws or other means. I don't know if it would be constitutional but one thing that should be done is to prosecute the parents/guardians of those in such situations to the fullest extent of the crime being charged against the offender. Maybe then, parents will start to realize they better know wtf is going on with their kids.