One of the teenagers responsible for beating a Holly Hill homeless man to death asked a judge to reduce his 22-year prison sentence Monday. Warren Messner and three other teens pled guilty to killing the man because they were bored, but Messner said prison is too hard.
Messner is a big boy. He was 15 at the time he was brought into the woods to see the homeless man his friends had been beating. Even at that young age, he outweighed the victim, Michael Roberts, by 200 pounds when he jumped on his chest, crushing his ribcage. Roberts died.
“Did you feel bad when you are doing it?” Messner was asked during questioning.
“Not really, no,” he replied.
“I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die…”
Messner and his attorney said he has already learned his lesson and is ready to go home to help others.
“I want to be an inspirational speaker for troubled teens,” he said Monday.
Messner got the lightest sentence of the four boys. Teens Jeffrey Spurgeon, Justin Stearns and Christopher Scamahorn got 27 to 35 years. They all cut plea deals to avoid life in prison.
The state attorney said that’s as much leniency as they should get and the judge agreed.
“I can’t think of some reason to change the sentence. I’m going to deny the motion,” said the Hon. Joseph Will.
The judge and the state both argued that being deprived services and being locked away is precisely the point of prison. Warren Messner will spend the next 22 years in prison without the chance for parole.
Too bad he didn’t wait just a few more years. He could have joined the military, gone to Iraq, killed with impunity, never felt bad for it, and we would have celebrated his career and given him a golden ticket.
Vengeance is taking the law into your own hands and meting out your version of punishment. Something you readily identify with.
I’m confused, how is this vengeance? He was tried and convicted in a court of law and sentence was passed. He had a lawyer and all his rights were afforded. He killed someone and now he is in jail. Where am I wrong. You are just a typical lefty who thinks that no one should be responsible for his actions.
33, You wouldn’t know justice if it bit you on your ass. You asked how would I react if it was a member of my family that was killed. I responded with “that is the difference between justice and vengeance”. Of course I would want revenge if it was a close family member. But that is why Judges and juries are impartial, to make a reasonable decision, not an emotional reaction.
At no time did I suggest his trial was unfair or the verdict was wrong. At no time did I suggest his sentence was vengeance. Of course, you don’t have the mental capacity to understand why you are wrong. So I’ll suggest you re-read your posts and questions and maybe, just maybe, it might slowly come to you.
#35 I guess I’m just not as enlightened as you. Thank God.
#31….Unspeakable……you are kidding….right?????
Everyday in this country, people who have been committed to a mental facility for being crazy and killing someone is released as **cured** and then go out and repeat the act.
I would trust a far left Liberal firebrand to keep a killer behind bars for a longer time than a Doctor at a Mental Facitity. The only way I could get behind a Mental patient being committed until cured is if after declaring him/her cured, they then go to prison to finish serving their hard time.
This *kid* murdered without regret…..let him serve his 22 years without parole without regret on societies part. If they want to give him counseling, thats great and can only help, but he still needs to be behind bars at least for his 22 years.
#36
Your welcome.
#37 Everyday in this country, people who have been committed to a mental facility for being crazy and killing someone is released as **cured** and then go out and repeat the act.
Really?
EVERY DAY?
Or is there a bit of hyperbole in there? Is it true that, maybe, you don’t really have any hard numbers to back this up and just maybe you think this is true because of the assumptions you make about leftist politics? Maybe?
Homocidal maniacs are released everyday from Arkham Asylum, but that’s why we keep Batman around. In reality, however, everyday is far more mundane.