(Rio Rancho, NM) High School shooter released from treatment, charges dropped

[left-of-center2012]

A teenager accused of firing a gun inside Rio Rancho, NM, high school last year has been released from custody and his charges have been dismissed. According to court documents, police found a list on Joshua Owen after the shooting that described a plan to kill his ex-girlfriend, kill other people then commit suicide with his last bullet.

According to District Attorney Lemuel Martinez, Joshua Owen was sent to a children’s psychiatric hospital, but they refused to hold him. The state facility that was supposed to take him, said they do not treat minors who are there involuntarily. So with nowhere to send him and therefore no way to help him reach competency, the judge dismissed the charges last month.

Owen has been released from custody with no orders to get treatment.

https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/cleveland-high-school-shooter-released-from-treatment-charges-dropped/5799333/?cat=500
https://www.krqe.com/news/crime/charges-dropped-against-rio-rancho-teen-accused-of-opening-fire-inside-high-school/

[Turbineguy]

1. Wow, I thought the Justice system was supposed to solve

all society's problems.



Maybe there's something we can learn from this and help this boy.

[Faux pas]

2. WTFF???

I'm sure they'll all be "shocked" when he succeeds the next time. and

[Desert grandma]

3. I don't understand why

Children's Psychiatric Center refused to hold him. The article didn't articulate a reason. They should have placed him into Sequoyah Adolescent Treatment Center which is a residential treatment facility here in Albuquerque that is operated by the NM State Department of Health. This decision to drop charges without mandating treatment is neither good for the community or for the boy.

[BGBD]

4. If I knew

somebody had a plan to kill my kid, they brought a gun to where they were, and fired it....then they are just released and charges dropped....

I don't think that person would get an opportunity to try again.

[sarisataka]

6. Are you implying

you would preemptively harm them in some way?

[BGBD]

8. What I'm saying

is that they wouldn't get a chance to do it again.

[uponit7771]

5. "So with nowhere to send him" Judge should send that kid where he'd send the black kids he ...

... judges, this is some stupid shit here.

[stopdiggin]

7. So -- are we saying that NM has no means for

involuntary commitment (of a minor)? That sounds absurd on the face of it. I suspect some kind of massive bureaucratic bungling is at hand .. and the court finally just got completely fed up with the state. (just a guess)