Trial of teenager charged in teacher's death to begin

[NaturalHigh]

SALEM, Mass. (AP) — Lawyers in the trial of a Massachusetts teenager accused of killing his high school math teacher plan to make opening statements Monday.

Philip Chism is charged in the October 2013 rape and slaying of Colleen Ritzer. The body of the 24-year-old teacher at Danvers High School, north of Boston, was found near the school. Her throat had been slit.

Chism was 14 at the time. Now 16, he is being tried as an adult in Essex Superior Court in Salem.

Jury selection was suspended several weeks while the judge considered Chism's mental competency before finding the teenager competent to understand the court proceedings and assist with his defense.


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[get the red out]

1. Psychopath

A psychopath doesn't have to be over 18.

[NaturalHigh]

2. Have you seen this guy?

You can look at his eyes and tell that something is missing. You're right; they can't diagnose him as a psychopath until he's eighteen, but he's a psychopath.

[Orsino]

3. Trying children as adults is mean and stupid. n/t

[KittyWampus]

4. there are some instances where it puts the TEENS into a system where they'll get more help

then they would if put in with CHILDREN.

Teenagers are not children.

[geek tragedy]

5. No, raping a woman then slitting her throat is mean.

This monster needs to be kept away from society forever. What's good for him is rather besides the point.

[Orsino]

7. Then the word "children" is meaningless. n/t

[geek tragedy]

11. It is when the 'children' are sadists who rape and murder for sport.

If there's no guarantee he won't do it again, there is no sense in letting him rape and murder again.

[Orsino]

13. I guess we don't even need a trial, then, when the accusation is so horrible.

Heck, that was easy.

[geek tragedy]

17. He already confessed. nt

[Orsino]

18. So we don't need a trial, right? n/t

[geek tragedy]

19. Not as to who did it. Rather, the only issue is his

insanity defense that he and his legal team cooked up 2 years after he repeatedly raped and strangled his teacher before slashing her throat open.

Just an innocent little angel.

[Orsino]

20. We could just move to the sentencing phase, then? n/t

[geek tragedy]

21. The defense is going to put on an insanity defense.

We'll see if a jury buys it. Insanity defenses rarely work because they're usually bullshit.

The defense is going to concede that he did it. That he did it is not disputed by anyone.

[Orsino]

22. If the kid's insane, or might have been, why is it important to you that he be tried as an adult?

Would it suffice, in your opininion, if life imprisonment were an option for minors? Or even execution?

[geek tragedy]

23. if the deal is that he's in a psych ward until they can guarantee he will

never hurt another person, fine.

[Orsino]

27. That much makes sense to me.

I don't necessarily agree, and certainly not this far in advance of a trial or conviction...but I get it.

[smirkymonkey]

24. Because, it was a malicious, pre-meditated crime. He knew what he was doing and he felt no remorse.

This was not the act of a "child" who lost his temper. This was a cold, calculated act of rape and murder by an irredeemable psychopath.

[Orsino]

26. Why can't children be capable of such things?

Who should determine whether or not an offender is a psychopath, or irredeemable?

[smirkymonkey]

29. Read about the crime. People like that don't ever change.

Personally I think he deserves a bullet in the head, but I'll settle for life in prison.

[Orsino]

30. I would settle for medical opinions on the matter.

I too doubt that psychopaths can be cured or even treated sufficiently. Would just hope never to be swept up in the hatefest that follows such crimes.

Calling a child an adult is stupid and mean, but we shouldn't flinch from addressing his crime.

[Logical]

9. So any age is an adult? Wow, brilliant! Can they drive and drink too? Nt

[geek tragedy]

10. Point being the priority is making sure there are no more victims.

Unless there's overwhelming evidence he won't do it again, he can't be set free amongst a sea of potential prey/victims.

[NaturalHigh]

28. That's my opinion too, and I don't believe that will ever be possible.

[Orsino]

15. +1. n/t

[smirkymonkey]

14. This was a brutal and premeditated crime.

I have read quite a bit about this case as it has been all over the local news since it began. He's a sick little psychopath and deserves to be locked up for the rest of his miserable life.

[NaturalHigh]

6. Well, if he's sentenced to life...

chances are good that he'll never rape and murder anyone again.

[Logical]

8. It is stupid, but people love vengence! Nt

[geek tragedy]

12. Would you feel okay if he moved in next door to female

relatives and acquaintances?

[Logical]

32. You are missing the point, he was not an adult. Nt

[geek tragedy]

33. I'm sure that makes a huge difference to the teacher he raped, tortured, and murdered

as well as to her family.

Also, I imagine that will be a huge relief to the family of the next woman he rapes, tortures, and murders if your view prevails.

"Well, yes, my wife was the second woman raped and murdered and tortured by this sociopath, but really the kid deserved a second chance, so I can't say I'm upset."

[smirkymonkey]

16. Have you read anything about this case?

He also viciously attacked a female guard while he was locked up. He's an animal. It is not safe to turn him out into society.

[Logical]

31. He is not an adult unless you just like make believe. I have no trouble.....

Locking him up but please drop the adult bullshit.

[smirkymonkey]

34. I am not saying he is an adult. But he should be tried as one.

He committed a vicious, premeditated adult crime. I am tired of giving these junior psychopaths a break just because they happen to fall a few years short of the chronological "adult" age marker.

[Logical]

37. so if found not guilty you are ok with him having all the adult privelgies? Nt

[smirkymonkey]

38. He'll be found guilty.

[JI7]

35. this wasn't shoplifting or some accident

14 is old enough to know what he was doing was horribly wrong.

[One_Life_To_Give]

36. Till we have better options than the current Juvie system

The Juvenile system is appropriate for some things. But there are people like Jeffrey Dahmer etc. for whom the system was never designed to deal with. Just because they are under 18 when committing a crime doesn't entitle everyone to a get out of jail free card on their 21st birthday. A 14 year old knows that Murder is wrong. And that the premeditation and execution of a brutal rape & murder is wrong. It's not the same as a teen being stupid. Saying he can only be held for 5 yrs regardless of how callous or depraved the Jury may find really isn't appropriate for some individuals. It would appear from the press reports that Mr. Chism is one such person who needs to be held away from humanity.

[smirkymonkey]

39. +1000

[get the red out]

25. Does it matter whether he has another victim or not?

Somehow society has to do something to prevent him from doing this to someone else. I am no authority to say what that is, but it should be a part of the conversation.