NationStates Jolt Archive

[OOC: If anyone wants to respond to this and turn this into a RP, I'll accept responses like condemnations, but I won't accept anything like OMFG!UrTHEWrs+cntryeverIN00KJ00! If this does become an RP, it will be invite only.]

The 15-year-old boy sat in his private cell at the maximum security prison in Rypien, the capital of the small state of Cooke. All day and all night, he had been playing the events that led him to his predicament in his mind.

He remembered the verbal abuse that Mr. Cundiff, the overly strict algebra teacher had lobbed at him almost from the first day of school. He remembered being singled out for ridicule when he turned in his homework assignment and every answer was wrong. Mostly, he remembered how any student who tried to stand up for him was dressed down. In class.

He remembered feeling nothing but rage, and he remembered how his father told him to "get over it and take it like a man." He remembered his mother not saying anything but a, "that's too bad." He sneaked a steak knife into his backpack and brought it to Rypien High School, somehow avoiding the medal detectors at the front of the school. He knew every nook and cranny of the high school, so he knew how to get into the teacher's lounge and he knew which period Mr. Cundiff was in the lounge grading papers alone.

The plan worked perfectly, or so he thought. He crept up as quietly as the drop of a feather onto the ground, slowly brought his hand around to cover Cundiff's mouth and thrust the knife into his back as hard as he could. Before the office secretary went to the lounge to look for the economics teacher and discovered the scene, the boy had stabbed him eight times.

Unfortunately for the boy, in his haste to get out before he was discovered, he left both his knife and the backpack behind. The school's security chief went into the lounge to look for evidence and saw blade red with blood still lodged into Cundiff's lifeless body. He looked around and saw a backpack just feet away from the body. They brought the knife into the police station in Rypien to run fingerprinting and DNA tests and discovered the identity of the boy.

The trial took only nine days before a jury unanimously voted guilty of first degree murder. The judge then rendered his sentence. Death.

Finally, at 2:17 a.m., the boy was awakened from his fitful sleep and led toward the room where he would have the lethal injection administered. As somber as he felt inwardly, he showed no outward remorse as he was secured into the chair.

"Any last words," the guard asked him before he left the room.

"Tell my mother I love her."

With that, the guard opened the door, walked out of the room, and shut it behind him. The needle went in and the boy winced. The only thing bad about this is I hate needles, he thought. Oh well, I won't have to worry about that anymore. Within a few minutes, the boy's body was as limp and lifeless as Mr. Cundiff's had been just two months before.

OOC: The Gas Chamber can take a long time to die by the by..you don't die easily..tis slow..you suffocate etc..just thought I'd say it

Your executing kids now? Christ, I thought you people had some common sense but it seems I overestimated you. I and the rest of the Imperial councill condem this execution of a minor, as a countermeassure Dumpsterdam will be decreasing its oil, coal and uranium trade to Sarzonia to a mere 1% of its orignal.

Emperor Rift, Lord of Dumpsterdam.

OOC: The Gas Chamber can take a long time to die by the by..you don't die easily..tis slow..you suffocate etc..just thought I'd say it[OOC: Thanks for the info. I was looking for something relatively painless, but I forgot about lethal injection.

Oh well, unless there's a groundswell for changing the method of execution to fit the RP, I'll leave it for now.]

Private telegram - The nation of Shiznayo does not condem you for this, but we are concerned. If you have any other criminals that are on trial for death, please send them to our country. We have extensive rehabilitation programs. It may be too late for that young man, but hopefully we can save others.

-President of Shiznayo - Pierce Rhubee

OOC:
No way! You are kidding me. I would have had a perfect character to put into an RP for this, but in just the previous post I had made, I killed off my character. Irony sucks sometimes! :D

To: Emperor Rift
Lord of Dumpsterdam
From: Nicole Lewis
Senior Vice President for Internal Affairs
Subject: Execution and trade

We find your comments with regard to jurisprudence in a Sarzonian state to be a laughable exercise by a government ruled by an "emperor." In response to your reductions in trade, we are reducing exports to Dumpsterdam to the same extent that you have reduced yours. Your pathetic attempts to affect internal Sarzonian policies will be looked upon with the scorn they deserve.

Execution is wrong in any situation. And such a young boy! It is vital that you spend the taxpayers money on rehabilitation and mental care, cause this boy cant be mentally stabil. The king and all the parliaments deligates condemns this action as brutal and uncivilized (except for the "communist party" which supports the idea of equal punishment in any crime (eg. death penalty for all crimes for all individuals)).

Embassador of the Kingdom Of Rodeana

OOC:
No way! You are kidding me. I would have had a perfect character to put into an RP for this, but in just the previous post I had made, I killed off my character. Irony sucks sometimes! :D[OOC: Nice timing on my part. Ugh!

This thread certainly got a lot of attention in a short time!]

OOC: I agree that punishment was needed, but we believe that death was too severe. I don't know much about your nation, but in the USA, a crime like that is often met with long prison sentences. I know that this is not the USA, or the "real world" so don't get all crazy on my.

Oh, by the way *clears throat* IC: Yevon of Spira does not condemn the actions of Sarzonia, we would've done the same thing.

To: Emperor Rift
Lord of Dumpsterdam
From: Nicole Lewis
Senior Vice President for Internal Affairs
Subject: Execution and trade

We find your comments with regard to jurisprudence in a Sarzonian state to be a laughable exercise by a government ruled by an "emperor." In response to your reductions in trade, we are reducing exports to Dumpsterdam to the same extent that you have reduced yours. Your pathetic attempts to affect internal Sarzonian policies will be looked upon with the scorn they deserve.

Any person under 18 should not be sentanced to the death penalty, no matter what the reason. There was a fair chance of rehabilitating the boy but you neglected that.

PS: If you are to start using personal insult missy, I consider whatever relationship we had with your nation null and void.

Emperor Rift,

[OOC: Yevon of Spira, I'm also an American, but Sarzonian law calls for harsher punishments for first degree murder. The first post kind of hinted at the fact that the boy fully knew right from wrong and the murder was premeditated. In the Sarzonian court system, he would be tried -- and sentenced -- as an adult.]

To: Emperor Rift
Lord of Dumpsterdam
From: Mike Sarzo
President, Incorporated States of Sarzonia
Subject: Sarzonian law

Sarzonian law regarding first degree murder is clear. The evidence in this case overwhelmingly pointed to the fact that this was a premeditated murder and the sentence most certainly fits a crime of this nature.

We believe it is our country's soverign right to deal with crimes and punishments in the manner we see fit. Your attempts to coerce us to change internal policy will not be remembered fondly in our history books.

(OOC: May I join this RP? It looks interesting.)

(OOC: May I join this RP? It looks interesting.)[OOC: What do you have in mind?]

OOC: The Gas Chamber can take a long time to die by the by..you don't die easily..tis slow..you suffocate etc..just thought I'd say it


[OOC: Its very quick actually, if you breath... but its your body that prevents it, as the moment the Cyanide gas (or what ever they may be using) touch's your lungs, they tell you to stop, and its a hard feeling to overcome. Unless u can take at least two deep breaths, u suffer a very painfull 9 minute death.
Lethal Injection is cosidered the most painless and fast way to go now, although I would prefer a fireing squad, just for the effect...]

[OOC: Yevon of Spira, I'm also an American, but Sarzonian law calls for harsher punishments for first degree murder. The first post kind of hinted at the fact that the boy fully knew right from wrong and the murder was premeditated. In the Sarzonian court system, he would be tried -- and sentenced -- as an adult.]
OOC: Yeah, as I said, I know nothing about your nation. My nation (Yevon of Spira, not USA) would have done the same thing.

[OOC: I just changed the method of death to lethal injection. Figured I wanted something relatively painless.

Oh, and I also wanted to mention that this is very loosely inspired by the sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C. area in 2002. The boy is based somewhat on Lee Boyd Malvo, but there are obvious differences in how he operated because Sarzonia bans guns and Malvo turned 18 either before or as he was standing trial.]

---Seaburg, Hamptonshire---
Press Briefing

"...and that's why we need the Policy." Senator Allenby (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v114/hamptonshire/p_joachim_ribbentrop1.jpg) responded.

"Senator!" Jim Dawes, reporter for the Port Victory Times, yelled over the other member of the Press Corps.

Pointing to Mr. Dawes, Senator Allenby says; "Alright, Jim. What do you have?"

"Thank you Senator. As you may have heard a fifteen year old convicted murder was executed earlier today, what's your position on this seeing as NURP is pushing for the reinstitution of a nationwide death penality?"

Senator Allenby paused for a moment, thinking over what he should say. "Well this, and this is only my opinion, is what needed to be done. When a person with a properly developed capacity for reason and logic has committed a crime as terrible as murder, they deserve to die." the Senator began to pound on the podium. "Some may say it is an atriocity to kill a young man, I say not riding society of such a cancerous tumor is criminal! We must all be tough on crime, lest it consume us!" now he was making powerful hand gestures. With his arms raised and his fists clenched he delivered his knock out blow. "We must pass the Hamptonshire First Policies so that those dastardly minions are wiped from our great nation!"

The Press Room erupted into demands to answer more questions. With his demeanor toned back down, the Senator thanked all the reporters for their time and left the briefing.

We sure as hell are not trying to change your laws, you just caught me in a bad mood which happens about once every 2 months. If you are so convinced that your system works I would happily invite you, or one of your delegates to visit Dumpsterdam and its relative simple rehabilitation project.

PS: Do what we do, wait till he's 18 and then sentance him to death.

Emperor Rift, indulging on lots of chocolate.

OOC: Sarzonia, I live in Maryland, but I have lost track of whats been going on with the sniper trial. Was Malvo sentenced to death? I live just a few miles from the school where the boy was shot. My neighbors go to the school and knew him.

[OOC: If anyone wants to respond to this and turn this into a RP, I'll accept responses like condemnations, but I won't accept anything like OMFG!UrTHEWrs+cntryeverIN00KJ00! If this does become an RP, it will be invite only.]

The 15-year-old boy sat in his private cell at the maximum security prison in Rypien, the capital of the small state of Cooke. All day and all night, he had been playing the events that led him to his predicament in his mind.

He remembered the verbal abuse that Mr. Cundiff, the overly strict algebra teacher had lobbed at him almost from the first day of school. He remembered being singled out for ridicule when he turned in his homework assignment and every answer was wrong. Mostly, he remembered how any student who tried to stand up for him was dressed down. In class.

He remembered feeling nothing but rage, and he remembered how his father told him to "get over it and take it like a man." He remembered his mother not saying anything but a, "that's too bad." He sneaked a steak knife into his backpack and brought it to Rypien High School, somehow avoiding the medal detectors at the front of the school. He knew every nook and cranny of the high school, so he knew how to get into the teacher's lounge and he knew which period Mr. Cundiff was in the lounge grading papers alone.

The plan worked perfectly, or so he thought. He crept up as quietly as the drop of a feather onto the ground, slowly brought his hand around to cover Cundiff's mouth and thrust the knife into his back as hard as he could. Before the office secretary went to the lounge to look for the economics teacher and discovered the scene, the boy had stabbed him eight times.

Unfortunately for the boy, in his haste to get out before he was discovered, he left both his knife and the backpack behind. The school's security chief went into the lounge to look for evidence and saw blade red with blood still lodged into Cundiff's lifeless body. He looked around and saw a backpack just feet away from the body. They brought the knife into the police station in Rypien to run fingerprinting and DNA tests and discovered the identity of the boy.

The trial took only nine days before a jury unanimously voted guilty of first degree murder. The judge then rendered his sentence. Death.

Finally, at 2:17 a.m., the boy was awakened from his fitful sleep and led toward the room where he would have the lethal injection administered. As somber as he felt inwardly, he showed no outward remorse as he was secured into the chair.

"Any last words," the guard asked him before he left the room.

"Tell my mother I love her."

With that, the guard opened the door, walked out of the room, and shut it behind him. The needle went in and the boy winced. The only thing bad about this is I hate needles, he thought. Oh well, I won't have to worry about that anymore. Within a few minutes, the boy's body was as limp and lifeless as Mr. Cundiff's had been just two months before.

What kind of a fucking country allows 15 year olds to be executed?

OOC: Sarzonia, I live in Maryland, but I have lost track of whats been going on with the sniper trial. Was Malvo sentenced to death? I live just a few miles from the school where the boy was shot. My neighbors go to the school and knew him.[OOC: Woah... I live near that school too if it's the middle school I'm thinking of!

I believe Malvo wasn't sentenced to death or it was thrown into appeals. He pled guilty in Spotsylvania County but their prosecutors aren't seeking the death penalty.]

What kind of a fucking country allows 15 year olds to be executed?[OOC: Is that an IC response or an OOC response?]

We of Random Kingdom are horrified by your reaction to this crime. If we weren't so busy participating in peace talks with the USN, we would place full political attention on this atrocity. Minors (people under the age of 18) must never be executed on the pretense that they didn't know any better, and could be rehabilitated or learn their lesson, through a custodial sentence.

(OOC)
Ill tell you two things which are painless Pole Axe and Bullet to the head.

Official Release from the USN State Department:

No person should be allowed to murder another person and escape from the harshest possible punishment. We beleive the actions of the Sarzonian government were just and we applaud them.

Our parliment recently stopped the sentencing of minors executions, though prior to their change of heart 13 year olds had been sentenced to death for crimes against the state such as, wearing an unsuitably unpatrioric tie to school. Of course we don't sentence people to death over clothing anymore, let alone children.

Although Pacitalia does not permit the execution of underage persons inside our borders, our administration understands and accepts you and your country's point of view and the resulting consequences for that young boy's actions.

In response to the decrease in trade by Dumpsterdam, Pacitalia would be more than happy to fill the hole left.

[OOC: Its very quick actually, if you breath... but its your body that prevents it, as the moment the Cyanide gas (or what ever they may be using) touch's your lungs, they tell you to stop, and its a hard feeling to overcome. Unless u can take at least two deep breaths, u suffer a very painfull 9 minute death.]

[OOC: And you know this how exactly? :P Just wondering, you seem to be alive...]

IC:
Aeruilin Central News Channel:
"It is now 6 pm EAT, this is Petra Tarith on the Aeruillin Central News Channel. Earlier today, controversy entered the news channels across the world as the news of the execution of a minor in the nation of Sarzonia became public. Already, the governments of several nations have condemned or endorsed the act, but we expect the general outcry and the debates that follow it are still to come. On our channel this evening is Obertin Arashal, senator in the justice department, and Charla Miller of the foreign ministry. Mr. Arashal, what is the standing of the Aeruillin Council on this matter?"

"Well, Ms. Tarith--"

"Petra, if you please..."

"Petra, while the council of course nigh unanimously reviles this severe punishment, and our president is preparing a press release to publically condemn the execution, I must admit that the controversy sparked is far smaller than it has been in many of our neighboring nations, and for entirely other reasons. We have long, successfully, pushed to lower the age barriers for full recognition of human rights and responsibilities. Our laws recognize everyone from the age of 16 as eligible to vote - and as fully responsibility for crimes."

"And yet there has been controversy."

"Naturally. The constitution of Aeruillin outlaws the Death Penalty unilaterally, declaring it a condemnable practice. That one so young has been killed has sharpened the debates here to a new climax, but far less because of the boy's age than because of the verdict itself."

"Thank you Mr. Arashal. Mrs. Miller, will there be any diplomatic repercussions?"

"Apart from the public press release? No. Our UN representative will probably attempt to pressure for a new resolution, but other than that, there will be little effect on our foreign policies. As you are aware, we have no current trade relations with Sarzonia, and few other diplomatic relations. We will of course continue to put sanctions on trading partners that have not outlawed the Death Penalty, but there is little beyond that we can do."

"Do you expect repercussions from other nations?"

"Certainly, certainly. The problem has long stood, and has only been torn up again by this incident. Plus, even many countries with the Death Penalty are going to condemn this incident due to the underage status of the convicted. It is controversial in both ways."

"Surely there will be no outright armed conflict..."

"Because of a single incident?" *brief laughter* "No, of course not. Were the States of Sarzonia a member of the United Nations, there might be international pressure, but they aren't. No, I don't seriously believe it will com to conflict. No nation with the sufficient moral high ground to use this as grounds for invasion would consider militaristic action - killing soldiers to prevent the killing of death-row inmates is contradictory. That said, following the tenets of the Atlantis Pact, Aeruillin would take a neutral stance in the unlikely event of conflict."

"I and our viewers thank you for your time, Mrs. Miller. Ladies and gentlemen, this was Senator Obertin Arashal of the justice department and foreign ministry councillor Mrs. Miller, commenting on today's execution of a 15-year-old in the Incorporated States of Sarzonia. Moving on to tomorrow's weather..."

Official Statement from The Proletariat Commonwealth of The Island of Rose:

We stand by our ally Sarzonia. We've shot teenagers for murder. They can think like an adult. Hell, if they can have sex at 15, they can kill right? Therefore, they get shot, decapitated, gassed, injected, or all at the same time. Therefore, we support the nation of Sarzonia and say "fuck you" to all that don't.
-Minister of Foreign Affairs: Rosta Einvach

((OOC: Yes, we really do have the dealth penalty. Surprising yes?))

Was the victim (the 15yr old boy, IMHO) given a fair trial?

We of Random Kingdom, even hearing the USN's approval of your cruel punishment, will not shift our opinion. Whoever tried the minor should be given a lethal injection, in RK's opinion. In fact, we would be glad to come over and do just that, if our voluntary army was strong enough. If another incident like this occurs in Sarzonia that we are aware of, we will take action of some kind.

OOC:Sarzonia, Benjamin Tasker?

((OOC: Interesting situation, Sarzonia. To me at least. Good work.))

TAG

OOC:Sarzonia, Benjamin Tasker?YES.

We are REALLY close geographically!]

Our only comment was why was a painless execution neccessary. He should have suffered at least as much as his victim, plus stabbing is cheaper.

We fully support Sarzonia for executing a murderer. We believe age has no difference and applaud the steps Sarzonia is taking in order to make examples out of criminals.

Official Response by the Shah:

You should have beheaded the dlinquent.

The Dominion, upon hearing the news condems Sarzonia for the execution of the child. It is morally wrong to execute one that is of such young age. Here in the Dominion we only execute traitors, terrorists, and serial killers. (one time offenders can appeal for a life sentence instead. No chance of bail for 400 years)

To: Emperor Rift
Lord of Dumpsterdam
From: Nicole Lewis
Senior Vice President for Internal Affairs
Subject: Execution and trade

We find your comments with regard to jurisprudence in a Sarzonian state to be a laughable exercise by a government ruled by an "emperor." In response to your reductions in trade, we are reducing exports to Dumpsterdam to the same extent that you have reduced yours. Your pathetic attempts to affect internal Sarzonian policies will be looked upon with the scorn they deserve.
OOC: A darker side of Lewis I haven't seen yet. :)

~From the desk of Lord Damien the Destroyer, Supreme Warlord of the Excessively Armed Empire of Automagfreek~

I am most pleased to see that justice does not elude even the young. I speak from experience when I say that the more horrific the punishment, the lesser the chance that there will be a repeat of the same crime by a different person. I personally applaud Sarzonia for not bowing to international pressure, and I salute their ability to handle criminals as they see fit.

Personally, I would have sent the little fucker off the the Halls of the Dead where he would have spent his last 12 hours on Earth in the most agonizing, horrific, unspeakable pain imaginable. So horrific that it would send a clear message to criminals everywhere--you fuck up, you pay a price worse than death itself.

Stay true, Sarzonia.

http://67.18.37.14/40/9/upload/p984672.jpg
---Damien the Destroyer---
-Supreme Warlord of AMF-

In the republic of NewKaiserLand we have capital punishment for murder. This measure was adopted by the will of the people.

We believe that those who condemn the execution of minors have not considered the situation logically. If a youth can be executed for commiting a crime at 18 years old, why is it wrong to execute a youth for commiting the same crime at 17 years and 364 days old? What difference does a day make?

Of course the same argument can be made for any age, which illustrates the foolishness of passing age based laws. In the enlightened republic of NewKaiserLand we use the standard of competence not age.

In this case, if the murderer is competent to understand what they did, then they are executed.

His Majesty's Government expresses its dismay upon learning of the execution of a minor. While news reports have indicated that the trial was conducted fairly and revealed premeditation, a minor is not altogether competent for his actions. Certainly, the individual ought to have been punished, but there are alternative punitive measures that could have been employed.

Within the United Kingdom, young offenders who have been convicted of murder are remanded to penal institutions in which they receive a standard education as well as social training to rehabilitate their characters. Those minors who are unable to feel remorse for their actions are made subject to adult penal law. Those who have demonstrated remorse for their actions are inducted into INDF penal battalions for the remainder of their sentences.

We hope that in future our Sarzonian allies reconsider the means of punishing minors, though we understand that this was not exemplary punishment but part of the established penal code. As such, the executed boy understood the likely consequences of his actions.

Sincerely,

Sir George Fredericks
Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Development
United Kingdom of Isselmere-Nieland

[OOC: Wow this thread has really grown! I even got my first IC response from Automagfreek! Also OOC: I didn't include the details of the trial because that would have dragged the initial post out to be unreasonably long, but in a murder trial, Sarzonian lawyers are especially careful to ensure that the defendant gets a fair trial because his life is at stake.]

To: Random Kingdom
From: President Mike Sarzo
Incorporated States of Sarzonia
Subject: Your threats

I have read your threat against Sarzonia with regard to our internal handling of our justice system and I am extremely displeased. Let me make it emphatically clear that if you threaten the soverignty of Sarzonia again, the consequences against you will be dire.

The way we choose to handle jurisprudence in our country is our business, particularly when the trial has been a fair one and has determined the perpetrator was aware of right and wrong and was fully cognizant of the gravity of his actions. I remind you that the evidence was overwhelming that this was nothing short of premediated murder. In Sarzonia, the only appropriate penalty when a criminal is proven competent is death.

OOC: A darker side of Lewis I haven't seen yet. :)[OOC: Actually, Nicole's pretty blunt, both IC and IRL.

There's a chance you might see the dark side of Sarzo in this thread. ;)]

The Federation approves of Sarzonia's efforts to make sure that no crime goes without just punishment, and applauds your strength in this decision. The Federation encourages all fellow nations to make the consquences for crimes of this magnitude harsher, regardless of who committed it.

The Federation of the FCDs Diplomatic Ministery

Euroslavia stands by its allies in Sarzonia for their actions. A crime is a crime, and the punishment was clear. Personally, our nation has banned the death penalty, but when it comes to other nations' policies, we respect them just as much as we respect ours, and we realize the fact that specific nations have different beliefs/customs/etc. Sarzonia has every right to do what it needs to do within its own sovereign nation, and should ignore those who try to enforce their own policies upon them.

[OOC: Just FYI, President is a liberal (would hate your guts for killing a minor), Parliament dominated by conservatives (voted for implementation of death penalty)..]

IC:

<Weekly Press Conference - Foreign Ministry - Dominion of Greenmanbry>

"Sir, sir.. Have you heard of the execution of the Sarzonian minor? What is the government's stance with regard to that issue? Has the President responded in any way to the execution?"

"Well, Jacob.. The Dominion's government has reviewed the events that led to the execution of the minor in Sarzonia. Our country.. as you know.. has the death penalty for first-degree murder. But, we're talking about a foreign nation here. We believe every government has the right to... umm... to set its own policies. Therefore, the government has decided to remain neutral here. As horrible as the execution of a minor may sound to some people, dictating internal Sarzonian policy is not our business. All we can hope is that similar incidents won't occur in the future. I have not met the President yet. I don't know his personal opinion on the issue. But the Complex has released a statement basically adopting the.... umm... the stance I just outlined. The statement has his signature on it. So I believe that's his stance as well."

We here in Eisenland have recently heard of this seemingly shocking abridgement of character. Many may condemn the action, however we applaude such measures. Eisenland is intolerent towards crime, especially youth related. The welfare of the people must be placed before foolish sentiment, and your nation has done a superb job. Feel no remorse for the boy; he had other options, (such as speaking with a guidence counselor, another teacher, friend, priest, etc., etc.). Instead, he chose violence. In a modern society bloodshed must be met with bloodshed, it is, (sadly), the only way. In closing, we congradulate you on a job well done, and hope to do business with your nation in the future.
Warmest Regards,
- The Dictator of Eisenland

Statement from President Mike Sarzo regarding the death of the 15-year-old boy:

"A decision by the state government of Cooke to execute a 15-year-old boy who was fairly and duly found guilty of the crime of murder in the first degree has engendered tremendous controversy throughout the international community and in Sarzonia.

"Let me be perfectly clear about this issue. Sarzonian law clearly defines that when a defendant is ruled to be mentally competent to stand trial for first degree murder, the spectre of the death penalty remains a distinct possibility. While we do have an age whereby people are given full legal recognition as adults, that limit is not an artificial barrier against responsibility.

"The 15-year-old boy who committed first degree murder was found to have pre-planned his crime and showed no remorse when asked. After an extensive psychological evaluation, a court-appointed psychologist determined that the young man was competent to stand trial and that he possessed a full understanding of the nature of his crime.

"Sarzonia does not apply the death penalty lightly or haphazardly. First degree murder trials often last three times longer than any other trial in our country because of the gravity of the penalties involved. Our crime rate is among the lowest in our region because our police force is well-funded and our social policies are among the more progressive in the world. You can rest assured that every avenue was exhausted before sentence was pronounced.

"To those of you who expressed your disappointment but acknowledge our right to handle our own jurisprudence, we thank you for expressing your opinions. To those of you who supported us, we thank you. To those of you who threaten our very soverignty or our livelihoods, your stance will be noted unfavorably by our government.

"This is not a case of genocide. It is not a case of a massive violation of human rights. This is the case where one murderer was removed from death row. As such, I ask all of you to respect our soverign right to govern our people as we see fit."

To: Random Kingdom
From: President Mike Sarzo
Incorporated States of Sarzonia
Subject: Your threats

I have read your threat against Sarzonia with regard to our internal handling of our justice system and I am extremely displeased. Let me make it emphatically clear that if you threaten the soverignty of Sarzonia again, the consequences against you will be dire.

The way we choose to handle jurisprudence in our country is our business, particularly when the trial has been a fair one and has determined the perpetrator was aware of right and wrong and was fully cognizant of the gravity of his actions. I remind you that the evidence was overwhelming that this was nothing short of premediated murder. In Sarzonia, the only appropriate penalty when a criminal is proven competent is death.

To: Government of Sarzonia
From: President Mills of the USN
Subject: Random Kingdom

As the USN has learned in the past, Random Kingdom does not respect national soverignty. We were forced into a bitter war with them after we executed traitors, terrorists and murderers. The RK beleives it has power over a nation's actions towards its citizens and we beleive they pose a danger to all nations' soverignty.

Awesome, Sarzonia.

*Tag*

Thanks R-B!

-Official Ratheian Government Response-

We would do the same.

Good Job.

*bump*

How about blood sport 2 murderers enter one comes out survivor then gets to join suicide squad in Armed forces?

[OOC: This is Sarzonia, not the Roman Coliseum.]

We believe this was the right choice

eye for an eye

He should have been heinously, callously, agonizingly, excruciatingly, cruelly, mercilessly, ruthlessly, and excessively tortured prior to being massacred in cold blood.

-Emperor Lou Nuttik

He should have been heinously, callously, agonizingly, excruciatingly, cruelly, mercilessly, ruthlessly, and excessively tortured prior to being massacred in cold blood.

-Emperor Lou NuttikThat is not our way. What you would do with your people is irrelevant with regard to how we manage our people.

OOC: IF this develops into a Rp, (How I don't know seeing as you just killed the main caricter) then I will join in, I balive I have just the caricter in mind

IC: While Aust does not agree with the death penalty in our own nation, we understand and accept the ideology behind it and will not condemm Sarzonia for this act.

Emporer Palpatine the 4th

[ Official Kelonian Government Transmission ]

Official Message from Justice Julius Abeylev, Leader of the Kelonian Central Court:
I would like to congratulate the leaders and people of Sarzonia on their sensible decision to carry out this execution and not be swayed by the risk of the international backlash they were almost certain to receive, and to criticise those that say this was not a just or fair punishment.

This boy planned, plotted and organised the murder of a respected mathematics teacher with terrifying attention to detail. He knew how to get at his victim and when he would be alone. He knew how to get a brutal murder weapon past stringent security checks. He showed no remorse for his crime and no compassion for his victim. These were not childish thoughts, not the lash-out anger of a wronged little boy, but the carefully-planned, vicious actions of an adult - indeed, the calculated cunning shown in this crime was something many adults do not show in their actions, criminal or otherwise. People who say that mere boys should not be tried for murder should take a close look at what 'mere boys' such as this are capable of.

I myself have presided over many cases of this nature - I was a member of the legal panel that presided over the trial of 16-year-old Bakirli Kaledin, the boy who murdered both his parents and an uncle, four years ago - the first case of a person under 18 being tried for premeditated murder and it's mandatory death sentence. I was the senior judge at the trial of 15-year-old Dikul Barshail, sentenced to death for the rape and murder of four girls at his school. Certain people, who some like to call 'liberals', would like to say that executing those people was cruel, was wrong - was illegal. I consider myself a liberal, and I have been involved in many movements to remove overzealous and unneccessary laws from the Sudepraznya (Kelonia's bill of laws), but having seen the premeditation involved in some of the cases I have had to deal with, I know there can be no legal 'cutoff age' for punishing people found guilty of premeditated, vicious crimes - even to the extent of execution.

Congratulations to Sarzonia for following your own path, the path that accepts that the presumptuous idea of 'childish innocence' is nothing more than a fallacy in these increasingly violent times.

Justice Julius Abeylev, Chief Justice of Kelonia,
Kelonian Central Court,
Paztrom.

OOC: IF this develops into a Rp, (How I don't know seeing as you just killed the main caricter) then I will join in, I balive I have just the caricter in mind

IC: While Aust does not agree with the death penalty in our own nation, we understand and accept the ideology behind it and will not condemm Sarzonia for this act.

Emporer Palpatine the 4th[OOC: I was expecting a wave of condemnations/support and was hoping that some level of participation would take place. I'm still considering my options for this thread. If I go through with some of them, there very well could be an RP in this. I could either execute another young person for a crime just as dastardly or I could delve into the back story of this particular boy. I also could play out the reactions of the boy's family or the victim's. I could introduce a bill in Parliament that establishes an age limit for murder trials. There are still a number of scenarios that have yet to play themselves out.

The boy may have been the "main character" that has led to this thread going in the direction it has, but there's a larger issue at work here. I was hoping that this thread could become an IC manifestation of the real life debate about trials of teenage criminals as adults and the the U.S. Supreme Court's deliberations and eventual decision on the topic that has drawn enormous international attention.

I alluded to Lee Boyd Malvo in this particular case. He was a then-17 year old who was one of the two snipers who went on a murderous rampage throughout the Washington, D.C. area (where I live in real life). There was a lot of debate about whether or not to try him as an adult and whether he should get the death penalty if found guilty. The kind of reaction I was hoping for has come through beyond my expectations.]

I condemn the actions of sarzonia, for i think the 15 year old sould have been punised diobolically and put through many rehilibation camps. the punisment sould include points such as takeing his manhood from him in many ways, including rusty knives. Also about 70 years of jail would teach him a lesson and at 85, he wouldnt be active enough to kill anyone anymone but he could still have a life, almost because of the rusty knife and the manhood. Ouch! :eek:

We praise Sarzonia's decision in his execution. He who is not willing to honour the life of another, he is not worthy of life itself. An eye for an eye.

Franck Gerlach
Führer of Guffingfordian overseas Empire

*In Suiiki a great debate had sprung up about the issue of the 15 year old Sarzonian boy who had been executed*

"The poor child!" Exclaimed a 47 year old schoolteacher when she read the headline. "He must not have been in his right mind, he should have been sent to rehabilitation."
"Don't be foolish woman." Said her sister. "He had it coming to him. He knew better than to kill that man."
"Actually you're both wrong." The newspaper boy piped up. "He should have been put in rehab clinics and punished severely...but what he got will do."
"Can it dork." Another teenager said. "I say he should have been tortured."

Continueing on her way Queen Izumi sighed and wondered what her readction should be. 'A 15 year old child...and yet, he was proven capable of murder. I don't know what to think. I really don't approve of the death penalty myself, but in some cases it is necessary...Perhaps Hikari will know what to do."

Izumi stopped by her cousin's home on her way back to the palace. "hello Hikari!"

"Izumi!" The two women embraced quickly and sat down in the living room.

"Hikari, I've come to ask you something..."

"Is it about the child who was execued for murder?"

"yes, it is."

"Izumi, I know you're undecided about when capital punishment is necessary, but I feel this was an extreme case and nothing could have been done. I support the actions of the Sarzonian legal system whole heartedly."

"Ah, but Hikari, was there no other way to deal with the situation?"

"no." *hikari's telephone rang and she answered it* "Hello? I'm with my cousin right now...of course. Izumi, I'm sorry but this may take a while."

"I will speak to yu again later, then." *Izumi returned to the palace*

"Queen Izumi!" One of Izumi's advisors ran up to her. "Where have you been? We need you in the meeting room right away!"

*When Izumi entered the meeting room she learned that feelings about the case were so strong riots where breaking out.* 'What do I do now?' she thought. Izumi stood and spoke with a clear voice, full of authority. "Suiiki will remain neutral in this sistuation until further notice. Have someone get police forces to the sites of the riots immediately."

Izumi stayed in her room the rest of the evening, wondering what she would do about this situation she'd found herself in. If she didn't think someone would hear the banging she probably would have looked a lot like this: :headbang:

The Constitutional Republic of Tekania does loosely support you on your action... However in context of the background provided, we do have to question as to whether he was indeed provided with a fair trial (the deliberation period was extreamly short in comparison to the length of time the Republic would deliberate in similar circumstances).

[OOC: When I was writing the initial post, I decided to skip the details of the trial itself to concentrate on some of the backstory leading up to the trial and then the day of the sentence being handed down. I didn't want to create a hopelessly long RP and drown people in details that would have required me to post several times to get to the meat of what I was trying to accomplish.

Trials in Sarzonia tend to be VERY short; the trial in this case lasted a lot longer than normal and the court sessions and the jury deliberations were excruciatingly long. Plus, the boy confessed to killing the teacher in court. Most of the time was spent on deliberating and discussing whether or not to apply the death penalty.]

Well, generally in the Republic, the time period between the initial arrest, and the final carrying out of the execution, is about 7 years.... so we find the concept of someone being executed within 2 months as, questionable to say the least... given the amount of deliberative and appealant process we use in the matter of executions.

Well, Sarzonia is nicer than we are. We have sSunday-Monday trials. If you're convicted on Sunday, you're hung on Monday.

[OOC: Thanks for the info. I was looking for something relatively painless, but I forgot about lethal injection.

Oh well, unless there's a groundswell for changing the method of execution to fit the RP, I'll leave it for now.]

OOC: You may want to check on it: lethal injection is supposed to be rather painful as well.

OOC: You may want to check on it: lethal injection is supposed to be rather painful as well.[OOC: I'm not sure if there's a really humane way to perform an execution, but the gas chamber sounded too harsh when I had that as the original method.]

Sarzonia. Gorkonian High Command supports your decision to extract justice from the scumbag youth 100%. Gorkon operates a similar policy of justice, which disregards age and mental capabilities in most crimes. There are two punishments; death, and labour.

If age is to become an excuse, what is to stop a highly intelligent 15 year old doing whatever he chooses? Give a child a gun and they are just as able to kill you as a 21 year old. Most know that killing is wrong. Some children are actually more intelligent than adults -- age cannot be an excuse. This child deserved everything he got. We would have made sure he was suitably terrified beforehand, and given the troops some extra training in the process, but your method is efficient enough.

You will find no condemnation here.

Grand General B. Greeson
Commander-in-Chief, Gorkonian Military

I condemn the actions of sarzonia, for i think the 15 year old sould have been punised diobolically and put through many rehilibation camps. the punisment sould include points such as takeing his manhood from him in many ways, including rusty knives. Also about 70 years of jail would teach him a lesson and at 85, he wouldnt be active enough to kill anyone anymone but he could still have a life, almost because of the rusty knife and the manhood. Ouch! :eek:[OOC: Sounds like I can put my first entry in the "I condemn you for not going far enough" category. Funny.]

[OOC: I'm not sure if there's a really humane way to perform an execution, but the gas chamber sounded too harsh when I had that as the original method.]


OOC: I did a report on the gas chamber, and trust me, its probably the most inhumane way to kill someone. It lasts about 10 minutes before the person is actually killed, along with convulsions for about the last half of those 10 minutes, and well... I'd rather not get into the details. It's quite disgusting.

Hello. I am Mike von strangaild. Im am the leader of my country zackaroth. Though i do believe what the child did was wrong so was the teacher. Perpapes it was his own fault into dieing. if he had not teases and angered the boy he would still be alive. Yet the boy should not have killed him. The boy is now dead and so is the teacher. But if you can see this could be a huge chain of events. The teacher angered the boy, the boy killed the teacher. Now with the boys death will it drive others to kill??? More deaths= more deaths. If you keep killing them then more will come and kill. Its a never ending chaine of death. Every country is like that. Theres no way in stopping it. Everybody involved was at fault. Even the ones who comdend the boy to death are guilty.

If this turns into a war thread, I will support Sarzonia.

"Sir, President Dunkum, sir!"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Sir, nearly a month ago, a fifteen year old boy in the nation of Sarzonia was executed for first degree murder. The state governments went into a convention at the time, and have just finished debating what should be done."

"They convened without informing me?! How dare they? Nevertheless, what was their decision?"

"They have decided that, though we do not support the death penalty in and of itself, this particular case has extenuating circumstances, besides, apparently the justice system in Sarzonia is extremely good."

"Ok, then i will uphold their decision. The Confederacy of Private Dunkum hereby officially condones the sentencing of this young man to death. I hope they don't have to do it again, we will not be able to support these kinds of actions if they are too numerous."

WOODSTOCK (ASP) -- Using powers delegated to her by President Mike Sarzo, Senior Vice President for Internal Affairs Nicole Lewis vetoed a bill that would have set an "age floor" on applying the death penalty to 16 years. The measure, which barely cleared both houses of Parliament, does not appear to have enough votes to override the veto.

"The death penalty is the most effective form of punishment there is," Lewis said in a speech at her official residence. "Limiting the use of the punishment by age is nonsensical as the case in Rypien conclusively proved."

Sarzo is currently in Isselmere-Nieland attending the coronation of HRH Prince Henry as the new king of the UKIN, Sarzonia's closest ally. He signed an executive order giving Lewis the authority to veto legislation while he was abroad, as long as she secured his consent.

"Fifteen year olds have been proven to have the capability to plan a massacre in other parts of the world," Sarzo said in a statement from the press cabin in Sarzonia One. "There have been several reports of massacres at the hands of younger children. The law Nicole is vetoing would have been too broad a restriction of the death penalty."

When asked if the veto meant seven year old children could be lethally injected, Sarzo dismissed the question with a sigh.

"If a child picks up a gun and plays with it and shoots his little brother, that's not murder; that's gross negligence on the part of the legal guardians. The status-quo requires juries to determine whether a defendant is mentally competent to stand trial and requires the juries to determine if the crime itself is murder before pronouncing sentence."

OOC: I had a teacher in high school that I hated like that, but I didn't have to kill him. A heart attack did the job for me during the early part of spring semester. Then his daughter went and flipped out.

OOC: I had a teacher in high school that I hated like that, but I didn't have to kill him. A heart attack did the job for me during the early part of spring semester. Then his daughter went and flipped out.
:eek:

:eek:[OOC: You said it.]

reference bump