Jeana (DP)
Former Member
AHHHHHH. Thank you. I have a strong hunch that the judge doesn't have the power to do that. I appreciate you showing that to me. Thanks.
MI - Fathi Cullen for attempted rape, Grand Haven, 2007
- Thread starter hoppyfrog
- Start date
AHHHHHH. Thank you. I have a strong hunch that the judge doesn't have the power to do that. I appreciate you showing that to me. Thanks.
Yep, if he gets a lighter sentence we'll probably hear his name again in a few years. Probably to a much worse story as well.
Mygirlsadie
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I agree. He will never be safe to be in society.
However, I think that as a society we seriously need to look at the system that created this mess and stop letting it happen over and over again.
txsvicki
Active Member
There needs to be more intensive specialized treatment for the younger kids who exhibit these behaviors instead of waiting and leaving them around other kids until they really do something horrible and get sent to juvenile detention. Since there's very few treatment centers around the country for this, no one will know if these younger kids could have improved if nothing is ever done.
I agree ... but also think that a system that taught this behavior needs to be closely scrutinized.
I would much rather my tax dollars go towards finding and funding GOOD foster homes and permanent placements rather then Prison later on.
IMO this child should have had a stable home a long long time ago.
hoppyfrog
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You might have to enter a zip code to access this article:
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-37/118726593176510.xml&coll=6
An Ottawa County sheriff's deputy once described 13-year-old Fathi Cullen in a way that stuck with the boy's adoptive parents.
"It's as if he has two personalities, a good kid and a monster," they recalled the deputy saying.
It's that dichotomy of character that prosecutors and juvenile court caseworkers now struggle with as they decide how to deal with Cullen, a diminutive and often reserved boy with a history of sex assaults that began nearly two years ago.
and
The judge also ruled him competent to stand trial after hearing a psychologist say Cullen was highly prone to impulsive actions that might be caused by a chemical imbalance in his brain, but said he did not suffer from psychosis.
and
Antonio Cullen said his son is on a high dose of Ritallin, an attention deficit disorder drug, but did not have the medication the day he left the family's house, also in the River Haven Village mobile home park. His son left through a window without permission.
"He is better on the medication, but still things happen even when he is on it," Antonio Cullen said.
He's not sure why his son began committing sexually deviant acts in late 2005, but speculated that puberty coupled with his emotional disorder fueled the trouble.
Mungo, Fathi Cullen's attorney, plans to prove the 13-year-old is not criminally responsible because of the possible chemical imbalance and "extreme impulsivity."
"They want to try him as an adult for something he doesn't understand he did or why he did it," Mungo said.
much more detail at link
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-37/118726593176510.xml&coll=6
An Ottawa County sheriff's deputy once described 13-year-old Fathi Cullen in a way that stuck with the boy's adoptive parents.
"It's as if he has two personalities, a good kid and a monster," they recalled the deputy saying.
It's that dichotomy of character that prosecutors and juvenile court caseworkers now struggle with as they decide how to deal with Cullen, a diminutive and often reserved boy with a history of sex assaults that began nearly two years ago.
and
The judge also ruled him competent to stand trial after hearing a psychologist say Cullen was highly prone to impulsive actions that might be caused by a chemical imbalance in his brain, but said he did not suffer from psychosis.
and
Antonio Cullen said his son is on a high dose of Ritallin, an attention deficit disorder drug, but did not have the medication the day he left the family's house, also in the River Haven Village mobile home park. His son left through a window without permission.
"He is better on the medication, but still things happen even when he is on it," Antonio Cullen said.
He's not sure why his son began committing sexually deviant acts in late 2005, but speculated that puberty coupled with his emotional disorder fueled the trouble.
Mungo, Fathi Cullen's attorney, plans to prove the 13-year-old is not criminally responsible because of the possible chemical imbalance and "extreme impulsivity."
"They want to try him as an adult for something he doesn't understand he did or why he did it," Mungo said.
much more detail at link
tennessee
Blew out my flipflop. Stepped on a pop top . . .
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From the article:
"Our sympathy goes out to her, and we're not saying he didn't do anything wrong," said his father, Antonio Cullen.
But the Cullens say their son needs to be punished as a juvenile and be sent to a residential treatment center to get the help he needs, including drug treatment and counseling.
"I think the adult system would probably eat him alive," he said."
This boy needs residential treatment. What he did is so wrong but at the same time, he is in need of some serious therapy and medication. He is probably no more than 10 maturity wise and his history is seriously screwed up.
I am so sad for everyone involved in this case.
"Our sympathy goes out to her, and we're not saying he didn't do anything wrong," said his father, Antonio Cullen.
But the Cullens say their son needs to be punished as a juvenile and be sent to a residential treatment center to get the help he needs, including drug treatment and counseling.
"I think the adult system would probably eat him alive," he said."
This boy needs residential treatment. What he did is so wrong but at the same time, he is in need of some serious therapy and medication. He is probably no more than 10 maturity wise and his history is seriously screwed up.
I am so sad for everyone involved in this case.
txsvicki
Active Member
But, many kids who act out sexually at a younger age are put in good foster homes where they act out with another child, are caught, then sent on to another without smaller children. Still, without intensive treatment until they commit an even worse act and jailed. A child behaviorist told me that this behavior usually does not stop and does escalate at puberty and that there's no medication to totally help. This whole cycle will keep repeating unless something is done to at least try and help the younger kids, in my opinion. The ones who aren't ever charge will grow up, have their own kids or stepkids and possibly keep offending and creating new offenders.
hoppyfrog
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http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-38/1191506000156970.xml&coll=6
Fathi Cullen -- who was 13 when he followed an 18-year-old woman into her home, ripped off her shirt and grabbed at her breasts and crotch -- pleaded no contest Wednesday to five criminal charges, including three sexual assault charges.
Ottawa County Family Court Judge Mark Feyen is expected to send Cullen to the Woodward Academy residential treatment facility in Iowa for sex offender treatment as part of the teen's sentence Oct. 18.
But the proposed sentence hinges on the academy accepting Cullen into its program. If it does, he likely will spend one or two years at the center, near Des Moines, then possibly be released but placed on probation until age 21.
If he fails the program or violates probation, Feyen could sentence him as an adult because prosecutors earlier won a judge's approval to punish Cullen in the adult system, if warranted.
Regardless, Wednesday's plea will register as an adult conviction on Cullen's record and he must register as a sex offender in the adult system.
Ottawa County Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Kuiper said the adult conviction is key.
"It will follow him for the rest of his life. That's the good thing for people that are going to be living in his neighborhood later on," she said. "They can find out his record."
much more at link (You may have to enter a zip code to access story.)
Fathi Cullen -- who was 13 when he followed an 18-year-old woman into her home, ripped off her shirt and grabbed at her breasts and crotch -- pleaded no contest Wednesday to five criminal charges, including three sexual assault charges.
Ottawa County Family Court Judge Mark Feyen is expected to send Cullen to the Woodward Academy residential treatment facility in Iowa for sex offender treatment as part of the teen's sentence Oct. 18.
But the proposed sentence hinges on the academy accepting Cullen into its program. If it does, he likely will spend one or two years at the center, near Des Moines, then possibly be released but placed on probation until age 21.
If he fails the program or violates probation, Feyen could sentence him as an adult because prosecutors earlier won a judge's approval to punish Cullen in the adult system, if warranted.
Regardless, Wednesday's plea will register as an adult conviction on Cullen's record and he must register as a sex offender in the adult system.
Ottawa County Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer Kuiper said the adult conviction is key.
"It will follow him for the rest of his life. That's the good thing for people that are going to be living in his neighborhood later on," she said. "They can find out his record."
much more at link (You may have to enter a zip code to access story.)
WhiteWolf
New Member
Wow, this story is so disturbing on so many levels. This boy has no boundaries, no impulse control, incomplete bonding with his adoptive parents, probably some brain damage from his parents drug abuse, and he*s facing a life of adult prison and possibly civil committment later in his adult life.
His adoptive parents mean well, but their son needs to be monitored for the rest of his life because we don*t know how to fix him now.
It*s hard to believe that the treatment center can reject him or just treat him for 18 to 24 months. Sad.
His adoptive parents mean well, but their son needs to be monitored for the rest of his life because we don*t know how to fix him now.
It*s hard to believe that the treatment center can reject him or just treat him for 18 to 24 months. Sad.
I just wanted to chime in here and say God Bless those foster parents. They specifically take children with severe emotional disorders into their home to love and care for, and they don't abandon them because, as they say......
"We have taken a stance not to give up on our kids because Christ never gave up on us and gave his life for us."
We need more people like this. It's too bad they didn't get Fathi earlier in life.
"We have taken a stance not to give up on our kids because Christ never gave up on us and gave his life for us."
We need more people like this. It's too bad they didn't get Fathi earlier in life.
Lock him up before this chit gets worse!!!!!! OMG 13 years old? What is wrong with our world. I know might hate that I say this, but I would give up my rights as a woman to go back in that time when this stuff didnt happen, but rarely. This place is my birth control. After reading most of what I do, I never want to bring a child into this kind of world. I have my "fur" babies, I will never be lonely!
BTW Hi HOPS!:blowkiss:
BTW Hi HOPS!:blowkiss:
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
I absolutely agree. He is a walking time bomb. If this is what he's doing at age 13, I can only imagine what he'll be like as an adult. Sexual sadist and serial killer?
oceanblueeyes
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Joesph Duncan was a very intelligent child...yet he raped little 5 year old boys by the age of 8. He finally was convicted when he was 15 and sent to a mental institution at which time the psychiatrist deemed him incurable sending him to prison to serve 20 years.
Then he got out and we know the rest of the story.
We must do something early to stop these predators no matter what age they are imo.
imoo
MeoW333
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I don't see anything helping this boy, unless a miracle happens, it's a no win situation. With no impulse control, and lock up looming ahead of him, he will come out of lock up full of rage to vent on innocent victims. Imagine this boy older and smarter to prey on people? What a mess.. the above article mentioned he was on ritalin; i have a problem with children being given legal speed. My nephew was on ritalin and adderol different times for ADD and it made his behavior problems worse. Not that excuses this boy's behavior as there's obviously a lot of underlying issues. Would the state be able to lock him up in adult prison after juvie? I know Fl does that..
txsvicki
Active Member
I wonder what treatment Duncan got in the seven years between the ages of eight and fifteen. I agree that something needs to be done with his type, but many don't ever murder, work, and live their lives free to grow up and molest children. Never caught, dealt with by the mental health professionals or the law even when there are known problems at an early age. I don't know if any of these could be helped as young children or not because there is very little intensive help given. I've been told that even 25% of young girls who are molested by other kids even go on to molest other kids. There seems to be no interest in even trying because most are probably on Medicaid and so many mental health institutions that will take children have been shut down.
That's my understanding of juvenile sentencing also. This boy is scary!!! I also believe he has a brain disorder...this is just not normal.
Siren
New Member
It's so sad to watch the cycle of victimization. But it seems that once that line is crossed from victim to predator, then society needs to step up and realize that there is no rehabilitating the predator. Mothers, guard your children well.