Teens charged in 7-year-old sister's 'Mortal Kombat' death

Posted by Oh_Wise_One on December 19, 2007 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have to wonder about the IQ of these teens. How could you think that this wasn't, at the very least, assaulting your own young sister.

Posted by Fresh on December 19, 2007 at 12:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What about the parents of these kids, they should be jailed for not teaching them how to properly babysit.

Posted by theQ on December 19, 2007 at 1:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, what can you expect in a nation that glorifies violence and has no morals.

Posted by Wapitislayer on December 19, 2007 at 2:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Somebody should back kick that fool in the throat.

Posted by Yuck on December 19, 2007 at 2:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why was this Roberts guy allowed, unsupervised, in the house with small children? What IQ do the parents have here? It makes me so damn sick to see an obviously beautiful girl ruined by the stupidity of a poor parent--not to mention the loss of an innocent little one who probably was merely "playing along" to please her older sister.

Posted by mocus1 on December 19, 2007 at 3:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

why do you media types keep calling horrific crimes "tragedies"?.....this is not a tragedy, it's murder......a tragedy is an unavoidable occurence with no definite cause.....and how about the idiots in the entertainment industry who claim there's no correlation between violence and the violent garbage they trowel out?.......yeah right....

Posted by rmnreader2000 on December 19, 2007 at 4:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It bothers me that you all are placing blame on the parent of the teen who was watching her siblings. I don't know if any of you remember inviting someone to come over when your parents weren't home, even if your parents told you not to. Stop blaming everything on the parents. The teenager knows what's right and wrong too.

Posted by PMSXpress on December 19, 2007 at 5:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Poor little kid.

rmnreader, I agree, most of us did stuff like that, sneaking a friend over when mom wasn't home. Though the distance between towns factor is interesting, Roberts is from Westminster, no short hop to Johnstown. Seems odd at that young age, but whatever. And acting as a "referee" while a girl twice the age of her little sister beats the crap out of her? What the hell?

Posted by jconder45 on December 19, 2007 at 5:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Remember, everybody, that violent video games (and movies and music) are entirely harmless, and the makers and advertisers of such games can't be blamed for anything. Just didn't want anyone to misspeak.

Posted by silkylove on December 20, 2007 at 1:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why are people here blaming everything and everyone but the ones who really are to blame? Don't blame the parents. The kids are 16 and 17 years old. That's old enough to know the difference between right and wrong.

Don't blame Mortal Kombat. Millions of people(myself included) played the hell out of Mortal Kombat and never decided to beat a 7-year-old kid to death. I also played Super Mario Brothers and I've never felt the need to stomp on turtles or crawl around in sewer pipes either. There is minimal evidence linking videogame violence to real world violence.

If you want to blame someone then blame these two teens because they're the ones who killed that girl. If you want to blame anything else then blame alcohol because there actually is a substantial link between alcohol, violence, and impaired judgment.

And to Yuck, who said, “It makes me so damn sick to see an obviously beautiful girl ruined by the stupidity of a poor parent--not to mention the loss of an innocent little one.” I say what’s wrong with you? What do her looks have to do with what she did? She may be more “camera friendly” to the average American than Lamar Roberts, but she’s just as ugly on the inside. As a matter of fact, she’s uglier because it was her little sister that she murdered.

Posted by virginbrain on December 20, 2007 at 3:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This story makes me feel sick at Christmas. Let's not start blaming but remember Zoe and support those who love her. I created a tribute dedicated to Zoe. http://www.respectance.com/zoegarcia

Posted by ScaryBob on December 20, 2007 at 3:47 a.m.

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Posted by madbeth on December 20, 2007 at 5:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

So the teen murderers are black and hispanic -- surprise, surprise. When are these communities going to face up to the fact that they have a HUGE problem with violence? I also cannot believe that this is the first time "big sister" beat up on Zoe; this level of violence is psychopathic. These "kids" are sick and evil and YES, the parents made them that way. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the girls' mother ignored her older daughter's evil and violence for a long time. You don't just wake up one day and say "I think I'll beat my baby sister to death when my boyfriend comes over."

If only they could really serve life in prison, that would be some justice. But, they won't. Notice the tear under Heather's eye -- boo hoo. It's a bummer when you find you've punched a child to death.

Posted by madbeth on December 20, 2007 at 5:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

VirginBrain, oh for pete's sake. I checked out your website -- the child "got killed" during a "game"????? The child was MURDERED during an ASSAULT. If this child had the injuries listed, you can bet she was crying, hard, and pleading with them to stop. Why didn't they hear her? It is absolutely time to place blame, deal justice, and OPEN OUR EYES to the idiocy, stupidity and sheer evil and immorality that leads to creating teens who are capable of murder.

Please.

Posted by TropStorm on December 20, 2007 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Perhaps allowing minors to have alcolhol then asking them to babysit is to blame.

Just a thought.

Posted by TropStorm on December 20, 2007 at 7:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Shame on "madbeth" for bringing race into this issue.

Crazy things have been happening, rich and poor communities. With the affects of all races lately. No way should someone come in here with ignorant race comments.

Signs of the times with all of the crazy stuff happening. But not race.

Posted by Silchas on December 20, 2007 at 7:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

MMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRTTTTTTAALLLLLL KKKKKKOOOMMMMBBAATTT!!!!!!!

Posted by Finding_Forever on December 20, 2007 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Madbeth, every community has violence. Lets not forget that the attackers in both the recent mall shooting in Omaha and the churches here in Colorado were both Caucasian; so please drop the race issue. This case is simply two teenagers being extremely stupid and irresponsible.

Posted by Yuck on December 20, 2007 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Madbeth, no offense, but you sound like an idiot! Well, I guess it shouldn't surprise anyone that the race card will eventually be used by racist type folk. Don't forget, Madbeth, the events of the last few weeks, when two white males (on separate occasions and locations) went on a shooting rampage...what community did they come from? Probably your next door neighbor, Madbeth...sad, isn't it? No, it's more of an "American Society" issue rather than simply a matter of race, and some might even say that racism, such as exhibited in your rant above, contribute to the "evil" you imply as being only race-based. Honestly, do you really think this way? Oh, brother! (sigh)

Posted by fatcatfan on December 20, 2007 at 8:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Race has as much to do with this murder as does video games.

Posted by bardicverse on December 20, 2007 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is a tragedy beyond words, beyond race, beyond borders, especially at this time of year. I'd only hope for the conviction and capital punishment of these two beasts.

What twice as upsets me about the overall news is the automatic assumption that these teens were influenced by a videogame. Mortal Kombat is a very old series, dating back to the early birth years of the title. It could very well be that they saw an airing of the movie "Mortal Kombat" and were motivated by that. Movies are easily watchable on a DVD, but when a videogame gains in age, it gets harder to find a device to play it on. They would have to be avid computer geeks in order to work so hard to play the title. I highly doubt that was the case. Yet, viewing a dvd or even vhs is much easier for anyone to do.

Posted by Truth on December 20, 2007 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's a shame that they will probably only be charged with second degree murder, instead of first degree and get the death penalty they deserve. I hope they get 48 years in the hind-end raping section of the state penitentiary for what they did to that poor little girl.

Posted by Fosterskid on December 20, 2007 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's a sad commentary that a video game gets mentioned and blamed for being the cause of this incident. But the fact that the 17yr old male who was beating the girl was DRUNK only gets a quick mention once. Yep. Video games were far more to blame then a 17yr old being drunk.

Posted by Yuck on December 20, 2007 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To madbeth and fatcatfan:

Do either of you even know or communicate (respectfully) with ANY person of a different race? It would be hard selling for me to believe that the answer would be yes. I suspect that a variety of experiences and reading material has been uncommnon in your lives, and that you glean what little fuel is needed to keep your racist attitudes afloat from snippets in which race is mentioned in a negative light. If I'm wrong, I apologize...but doubt I am wrong. Oh! And, Merry Christmas!

Posted by joggle on December 20, 2007 at 10:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Wrestling has been going on forever. I think alcohol had more to do with this girl's death than a video game. People tend to make poor choices when drunk and results in many unfortunate accidents and deaths.

On a side note: I once nearly passed out when wrestling as a kid. It can happen, although fortunately nobody was drinking so it didn't get out of control.

Posted by WY_reader on December 20, 2007 at 10:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I have to agree that this hideous crime has nothing to do with race! Are you saying that only Blacks and Hispanics are the only ones engaging in this type of brainless behavior? I think not, this incident just happened to result in the death of this innocent little girl. These teens are not children they are young adults and should be treated as adults. This type of stupidity is going on everywhere and its being done by all races. Would the race comment have been brought up if it was some Whites instead?

Posted by gumbo on December 20, 2007 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ive played video games my whole life (37 yrs) and ive never done anything like this.

my grandfather smoked cigarettes for most of his 92 yrs and didnt get cancer.

see. video games dont contribute to violence and cigarettes dont cause cancer.

Posted by rs0420 on December 20, 2007 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I've also played all types of violent video games and watched violent movies. Have I ever done something like this? NO!!! Neither have any of my friends that have also played these same games. It's the parents' that don't teach their kids the difference between reality and fiction.

Posted by RUkiddingme on December 20, 2007 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

How dare anyone mention race in any situation. There are absolutely no statistics to back up the fact that the majority of people in prison around the country are people of color;Black/Hispanic.
No statistics. None.

Right.

Posted by silkylove on December 20, 2007 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

RUkiddingme,

That's real subtle use of sarcasm there. Kudos to you. But I have to say that those statistics are more indicative of a societal issue than any correlation between skin color and violence. Violent people come in all shades. The fact that the majority of people who are incarcerated are minorities has more to do with economic issues as well as certain groups who are getting profiled, arrested, charged and convicted at a higher rate. Perhaps you would be more comfortable posting your comments on a site like stormfront.org where they would welcome your kind of "logic."

Posted by madbeth on December 20, 2007 at 12:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Brutally beating a small girl until you've broken her bones and she goes unconscious, cracking a raw egg in her mouth so she can aspirate it into her lungs and choke, plunging her under cold water -- these are not the actions of "stupid, drunk teens making poor judgments." These are horrifically savage and violent criminal behaviors. I've been a drunk teenager who made poor judgments; murdering a child by beating is not one of them.

Silkylove, facts and statistics are not racist, and denying problems will do nothing toward solving them. For everyone who wants to label this "racism," you need to do a bit more reading of black and hispanic conservatives, many of whom are not only astute but also very courageous. If positive change occurs in these troubled communities, it will be due to the efforts of those who are willing to face painful truths. Yes, of course ALL RACES COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMES. That was never in doubt. It is a matter of numbers. Pay attention to the news from now on and note how many violent crimes are perpetrated by these two cultures. It is not about the color of one's skin, but rather, the ethnic cultures and the streams of violence that run through them. White supremicism is repugnant to me; that is not what this is about.

Posted by bjjdenver on December 20, 2007 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The kids are idiots?

Well, perhaps, but they are smart enough to blame it on a video game, so they can rally the other idiots out there to their defense.

Is our society desensitized? Absolutely. But the blame needs to be placed on the individuals who commit the crimes. Not video games, music, TV, movies and such.

How about not teaching your kids, putting them in front of a TV or game instead of spending time with them. How about teaching them right from wrong and good values, rather than getting mad when the school doesn't do it for you.

The only thing surprising to me, is that this sort of thing doesn't happen even more frequently.

Posted by theQ on December 20, 2007 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well it looks like another two idiots that figure that life behind concrete walls is preferrable to freedom. YOU KNOW WITHOUT KNOWING THAT THESE TWO KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. They need to spend "decades" in prison.

Posted by RUkiddingme on December 20, 2007 at 1:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Silky - does it matter how they come to it? Does it make it less true that certain cultures are committing most of the crimes and lead lives of ignorance, apathy and violence? Of course all colors commit acts of violence and lead lives of crime.
I'm talking statistics in this country.

I'm sure people have been unfairly accused, arrested and convicted due to "profiling". But the VAST, VAST majority have not.

Racist, smacist.

Posted by BigBrother on December 20, 2007 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I blame the kids.. they're idiots... they're parents are probably idiots too.

Parent: Here's a 40 son. Go get wasted... and when you're good and smashed I want you to babysit my 7-year old daughter while I'm gone... I'm sure nothing bad will happen. Just make sure to beat her and kick her a lot if she gets out of line.

Kid: I have no morals and would kill my own mother if you threw in some crack to sweeten the deal, so... sure.

[Kid kills seven-year old]

Media: A 17-year old brutality beat a 7-year old to death earlier today. Are video games to blame?

*I hate the media* let's blame everyone and everything but the kids that perpetrated the crime.

Kid's don't commit crimes, they eat puddin' pops, and play hopscotch with their friends. It's these damn video games that are to blame.

*After searching the house of the deceased 7-year old, we found more violent games, such as Doom, Grand Theft Auto, and Bubble Bobble. We're very surprised the 17-year old didn't drown a string of people and then eat their flesh. During interrogation the child stated that he believed his victims to turn into cakes and sweets after they died.

Posted by theQ on December 20, 2007 at 1:49 p.m.

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Posted by theQ on December 20, 2007 at 2 p.m. (Suggest removal)

AND GET THOSE UGLY MUGS OFF THE INTERNET.

Posted by mis_kia79 on December 20, 2007 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think that this situation is very unfortunate. We are losing our youth. We, as adults and parents are not stepping up to the plate and acting responsibly. Many parents are so concerned with retaining their own youth, that they try being their childs or children's friend, rather then parent and educator that GOD calls them to be. Why would we expect our children to be responsible and why are we suprised that this has happened? We can all sit here and blame whoever we want, but ALL adults need to step up and play a role in the lives of the children that we interact with everyday. IT DOES TAKE A VILLIAGE TO RAISE A CHILD! We are all responsible. As an educator, it saddens me to see parents blaming teachers and teachers blaming parents, when in fact we are all to blame. As adults, are we willing to deny responsiblity simply because a child is not ours? Thats our problem today, we act as if the children in our communities are not our responsibility. THEY ARE. We adults sit around bad-mouthing eachother in front of youth, and then wonder why youth have no respect for adults. We have no respect for ourselves or others, so why would our children respect us?

These two youth have had no guidance, parental or otherwise, and because they are black and hispanic, they are the problem....? No, race should not have anything to do with it, but fact of the matter is it does play a role. It is not apparent now, but as the trial gets going and everyone starts playing the blame game, some how, the black youth will have more blame casted at him, not because he is black, but because he is "older" (good excuse).

As an black female, my intent is not to offend, but, there were two simimlar cases, one in I believe Michgan and the other in Florida, where young boys (under the age 15), in each case were charged with killing family members while imitating wrestling moves. The kid in florida was black and the kid in Michigan was white. The black kid was charged as adult and given life in prison, the white kid was charged as a juvenile and given probabtion, but race doesn't matter? Not only does race matter, but so does deepness of the pockets$$$$$$$$$

The lives of these children are over, not just because they made terrible choices, but also because no adult is willing to step up and say, I am responsible for this child. No one wants to volunteer any help in the rehabilitation of these children. And those of you who think that they maliciously sought out to kill this child, are careless and heartless and you are not interested in the best interest of our youth. It is ridiculous that we are sentencing our youth to life in prison and charging them as adults, but we are not willing to step up and take responsibility for our own faulty parenting skills and admit to the fact that we all make mistakes.

Posted by BigBrother on December 20, 2007 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You're probably not far off to say most gang related crimes are perpetrated by minorities, probably primarily Hispanics and Blacks just like most Serial Killers are white males.

Maybe minorities do commit more crimes... but the crimes of white males are just more disturbing.

Who knows... who cares... mankind is a sinful race who's only salvation is Jesus Christ.

I'm sure I'll get bashed for saying that, because it's "cool" to hate Christians, but it's true. People wonder how this stuff can go on when the answer is clear -- mankind is inherently evil.

ban guns, ban video games, let's ban everything but petting zoos and warm summer days...

Posted by Lacroix28 on December 20, 2007 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The only ones to blame in this situation are the two teens that murdered Zoë. It's not because of the game, parenting skills or race. It was because these two teens thought it would be fun to get drunk and torture a little girl until death, plain and simple. They are the ones with no morals or the ability to make reasonable decisions and judgment calls. I cannot fathom how anyone could think that those types of actions would not end with a disastrous result. I also cannot understand how anyone can do those types of actions to anyone, much less a younger sister. They are old enough to know right from wrong, and all we can do now is pray for the child and wish for Lamar Roberts and Heather Trujillo to get 48 years.

Posted by theQ on December 20, 2007 at 2:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

TO MIS_KIA...VERY GOOD..AND YOU ARE RIGHT ON ALOT OF WHAT YOU SAID...PARENTS ARE PATHETIC IN THIS COUNTRY.

Posted by fatcatfan on December 20, 2007 at 2:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

@ Yuck:

allow me to clarify -

Race has as much to do with this murder as does video games, WHICH IS TO SAY NONE. As a sane and non-violent, socially functional avid video gamer, I have to say that I am offended that someone is ignorant enough to blame a video game for murder in a case that involves both alcohol and a history of abuse.

Posted by Ronald321 on December 20, 2007 at 2:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Society is all to quick to portray youthful children such as these as as being naughty. Thank goodness for our judicial system. Lets hope these kids get a sympathetic judge so that they won't have to suffer the inconvenience of being incarcerated and that they soon will be out playing with the other children.

Ronald321

Posted by fatcatfan on December 20, 2007 at 2:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

http://www.athealth.com/consumer/diso...

"Based on published studies, Roizen (3) summarized the percentages of violent offenders who were drinking at the time of the offense as follows: up to 86 percent of homicide offenders..."

I doubt such a statistic for video games could ever exist. Still, I don't blame the alcohol itself, but those who choose to (ab)use it.

Posted by jibbons on December 20, 2007 at 3:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow, waive a story about violent offenders, who are classified as minorities in this country, and watch the rascist wolves come out to prey.

Everyone can shout about their halfway read studies of race and violence till the sun comes up, but you are still ignorant blowhards.

When do you think the first time an older sibling killed their younger sibling during an inebreated wrestling match was? The smart money says it was way before video games, online news editions, or even paper editions.

I am not trying to excuse this violent act, but locking these kids up for the rest of their lives will not bring the girl back. It won't make the parent whole again. It won't make the society better. It will just make these stupid kids into dangerous adults. Granted there must be punishment for crimes like these, but we as a society need to think extra hard about what a punishment is, and what prison is.

Posted by BigBrother on December 20, 2007 at 3:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)

If prison isn't an appropriate punishment, what do you suggest we do with a 17-year old murderer?

Posted by RUkiddingme on December 20, 2007 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Mr. Jibbons - Are you saying that inebriated teenagers often kill their younger siblings? This is commonplace? Is it an ACCIDENT when you punch and kick and torture someone who is half your size and unable to defend themselves and then they DIE??

No more chances for people this defective. Put them away where they can't hurt anyone else - except for perhaps each other.

Posted by theQ on December 20, 2007 at 6:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

OH...WELL..IAM GLAD SOMEONES AT THE HELM...JUST YOU? OR I SHOULD SAY FEW?..I HAVE WALKED THE SPACES BETWEEN WORLDS...ITS ALL SO CLEAR.

Posted by ShangTsung on December 20, 2007 at 7:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

FINISH THEM!!!

Posted by Voidness on December 20, 2007 at 7:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bah, foolish people, one dies, others get fed (anti-violence-in-video-games-agencies)
as far as the two little criminals are concerned, they will learn why their country is called 'The Prison Nation'

but it is never enough, this chaotic human world will always know it's share of suffering and murder.
needs always urging for fulfillment, desires always craving..
a hunger never satiated..

for it is in our nature, the nature of a virus.
there is no light, no hope. only life and death.

Posted by ogenbite on December 20, 2007 at 7:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Just wondering, but who actually said that the two teens were recreating moves from the "Mortal Kombat" video game? All I have is this article to go on, and I can't see specifically who said that. Was it one of the teens? One of the attorneys?

Posted by JayNich on December 20, 2007 at 9:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Well, I just want to say these few lines. These teens are ridiculous. They were both drunk. The boyfriend is obviously an abusive boyfriend. Him and the girl drinking. Guaranteed they started beating the little sister cause she was "annoying them". Seeing that the girl was knocked unconscious, they got scared, thinking to themselves, "Oh **** we killed her" so they cracked an egg in her mouth, to see if she was faking. Victim wakes up sometime later. They send her to bed. Stupid thing to do when someones been previously knocked unconscious. Go in to check on the girl, not breathing. THey try to revive her via the shower. Try the CPR. Nothing works so they already know theyre f*****. Call 911.

I don't see how video games can come into this at all. I have been playing video games for quite a long time and I have never resorted to "re-enacting" the moves of ANY video game. I find it rather ridiculous to blame your own stupidity on a video game. People mainly teens come up to the stand after comitting a crime saying "But it was ok to do it in this video game" hoping to cut down their sentence. That is BULL****. It's common f***ing sense. And the fact that these 2 were drunk while babysitting, give them 48 years. F*** em.

Posted by JayNich on December 20, 2007 at 9:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It sickens me when people decide to blame music, video games, movies, and ridiculous things like that on crimes committed in real life.

Posted by Voidness on December 20, 2007 at 9:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you are harsh..
48 years is a long time.. a very, very long time.
if people like you governed the world, maybe like half of the world population would be in prison or worse

Posted by Zedster on December 21, 2007 at 12:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

“I'm talking statistics in this country. I'm sure people have been unfairly accused, arrested and convicted due to "profiling". But the VAST, VAST majority have not.”

Madbeth (BigBrother is pretty cracked out, too)—you need to STOP opening your mouth and letting out the IGNORANT funk that’s jetting out. Many people are unfairly accused and convicted. Many are sent to death row. These innocents are KILLED by this country, the very one that statistically (and historically) has unjustly killed, injured, or marginalized other minorities. “Vast majority” all you want. I’M talking statistics in this country.

Profiling is a real and legitimated tool police use to target people. They’re even using it now for Arab “terrorists” (but not for white terrorists like McVeigh). You're talking about "statistics", you say? STATISTICALLY, America/gov’t/police/the powers that be, is more likely to screw over Blacks, Latin@s, Native people, Women—you name it, than they are a middle-class white male. Check any history book. “In every era, whites have said the problem [of racism] was exaggerated, and we have been wrong.” –Tim Wise: ’d suggest you read up on him: http://www.bluecorncomics.com/blaming.... Back in the 1960s and earlier, BEFORE blacks were LEGALLY EQUAL to whites under the law, white people (probably just like you Madbeth) were saying racism wasn't an issue. Yeah frickin' right.

It’s always the people who have the most to lose if this were a truly equal society that always ignore the truth and blame those who suffer from inequality.

"When are these communities going to face up to the fact that they have a HUGE problem with violence?" THESE communities? Who's the ones making (and profiting from) these violent video games that are supposedly the "problem" behind all of this? Which communities have a recorded history of violence, genocide, war, rape, slavery, lies, and theft? What communities continue to blame the victims and revel in their ignorance instead of recognizing the part they play in perpetuating injustice?

White, middle aged men usually fit the serial killer, unibomber, or child molester profile. Or even the corporate thieves who shuffle BILLIONS into overseas accounts and their million-dollar homes. Are police circling fortune 500 companies, nearly exclusively made up of white men, or suburbia America, looking for these criminals? No, of course not. POC make up most of the prison population because the police TARGET them. Crime is crime, everyone can be guilty of it, but mainly crimes committed by the poor, who are overwhelmingly POC are targeted and prosecuted. Of course people such as yourself don't bother learning the whole truth because the lies REINFORCE your own racism.

And why do people keep harping on Roberts? He kicked the girl, what once? The "obviously beautiful” girl is the one who jumped on top and beat her little sister. Let’s direct our vengeful, unrestrained anger towards both, ok?

Posted by BigBrother on December 21, 2007 at 9:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

@Zedster

I may be "cracked out", but I'm not Racist.

Also, I'm not sure there are many "communities" with a history of genocide, that's just silly. You sir, are silly.

Back to the subject at hand; These two, young, killers should be put away for a long time. But given the state of the world these days will probably get a Nobel Peace Price for speaking to the horrors of video game violence and how it makes people killers.

Posted by Alive on December 21, 2007 at 5:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think Zedster needs their medication. The unhinged ones are entertaining though.

Posted by JadesInTheSky on December 21, 2007 at 7 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Aside from the obvious I think the teenagers credibility is going to be a big issue as the investigation continues. The story just doesn't sound right. You're going to try and tell me that you don't know the difference between a "game" and a small 7 year old kid? Not only that but if they brutally kicked, punched and body slammed her I doubt she would have gotten up. I read a report on the AP that said her wrist was broken and she had swelling in her spine and about 20 bruises. So the two teenagers are obviously lying about her "regaining" consciousness and they sent her to bed. I think the teenagers blamed the "game" because they were engaging in UNDERAGE drinking and probably teen sex among other things to include drugs. When they couldn't get privacy they lashed out on the 7 year old. They were violent to begin with and it sounds like the little girls' natural Father knew this. The Mother obviously had no sense in allowing her young 16 year old daughter to have boys over the house. If anything I'd like to see the Mother also charged with negligence resulting in fatal child abuse and contributing to the delinquency of minors. Where'd they get the beer? Yeah MOM must have provided it.

Posted by suki on December 24, 2007 at 4:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)

madbeth i agree with you, you're not racist, and neither am i.(seeing as how i have more than ten different nationalities in my blood). it's called the law of probability yuck, if the majority of the population is colored, then chances are, the majority of in-mates are goin to be colored as well. you can't use the shootings in omaha and colorado as a legitimate defence seeing how the majority of the population there is white. and to those who wish these kids a lighter sentence, no offence, but are you ****ing crazy? it's lighter sentences that cause most of the problems in the first place. most horrific crimes are commited by ex-inmates. we need harsher punishments for intentional crimes. so what, you kill someone and you get 6yrs and a slap on the wrist? whats going to stop you from doing it again? your religion? you've already sinned, so you're going to hell(or whatever you believe). your morals? you can't erase the taste of it after you've killed(whether it was the thrill or the disobediance that you liked) i mean, look at how that 17yr old guy bragged "my hands are lethal weapons". sounds like he enjoyed it to me. the authorities? what, so you can get another slap on the wrist and be free again? that doesn't sound too scary to me. everybody has had the choice to kill in their lives(whether they know it or not) when somebody p*sses you off you can either let it roll and let karma get'em in the end, like normal people, or kill. it's the choice that reminds us that we're all just human. they made their choice. they could've stopped when the little one was probably crying out in pain but they didn't. they aren't even kids either. i was living on my own, working, paying the rent and bills, and going to school whe i was her age. but enough of that topic. to blame this on video games? give me a break. i love what bigbrother said about that. i just watched hannibal last week does that mean that i'm enjoying a roasted leg of some guy while i'm writing this? that just makes me laugh. do we not have brains of our own? are we really that stupid to do and follow what everything else tells us? i dont think so. does anyone remember marylon manson being blamed fo colombine? utterly ridiculous. parents PLEASE disapline your children! just like your parents did for you. spank your kids when their bad. wash their mouthes out with soap when they mouth off to you. i dont hate my parents cause they spanked me(at the time of course i did)cause when you grow up you realize it was in your best interests. leave being their friend up to kids their own age. and maybe, just maybe, our kids will grow up to be respective and admiring individuals. thank you for letting me ramble.

Posted by NiceDirtyDay on January 6, 2008 at 6:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I know this is late, but I just found this article, so I don't really care.

"Well, what can you expect in a nation that glorifies violence..."

That's got to be the most idiotic statement I've seen in a long time. I'm not going to disgnose these kids, but I highly doubt that the environment had anything to do with this. They're just idiot kids trying to impress each other by doing something cruel to a defenseless child.

I listen to death metal, I play violent video games and I watch slasher films once in a while. Never have these made me think that I should kill someone to try and be a part of it all, nor do I think they would be a good excuse for if i did.

This is quite sad to see. I have no idea how one could let something like this happen to a sibling. When someone talks bad to my little brother (I don't have a sister, sorry) I want to fight them, I can't even imagine if they harmed him.

I think that these people deserve the most time they can get. There is no excuse for behavior like this, especially at their age. I think that 16-48 is great, especially for being stupid enough to re-enact a violent video game on a small child.

Posted by soslick on January 9, 2008 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think that the parents even were aware that her boyfriend was with her when she was baby-sitting. so don't blame them blame the retards that killed her.

Posted by nohope on January 16, 2008 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Think about the case on Chandler Grafner, he was white, the monsters that tortured and starved him to death are WHITE.
Just think about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by nohope on January 16, 2008 at 6:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Abusers come in all colors and races.

Posted by bebi102 on February 28, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is probably the most disturbing case I have read about in a while. I don't even know where to start. A 16-year-old and an 18-year-old?! What the h. ell have their parents been doing for the past 16-18 years?

I know a lot of people probably think this is directly affected by the violent video games, but I beg to differ. Being a video-gamer myself, I knew much better when I was 16 and 18 than to re-enact something from a violent video game or movie. Even when I was in elementary school, I knew far well the difference between reality and imaginary, real-life and game-play.

I am not here to argue about whether violent video games have anything to do with anything. I just wanted to point out that these kids are dumb. I don't care what anyone says, and I don't care how immature you may think I sound, but there is just no other way to say it. They are stupid teenagers with stupid parents. My younger brother is 9 and my younger sister is 12. When I was 16 years old, my sister was 6 years old and never ONCE would I have EVER thought to do ANYTHING to hurt her or ANYBODY else because of Mortal Kombat or any other violent video game.

And seeing as I am a little late on this, haha...is there any updates on this case?