GUILTY OK - Christopher Lane, 22, Australian, slain in thrill killing, Duncan, 16 Aug 2013

[Mrs G Norris]

What is so good about being in a gang anyway, anybody?

Mind you, I'm not big on bikies either, I have known a few socially over the years, usually after they 'left' the club. I never saw much to get excited about. Although one offered to send some noms over to a friends house to do his lawns for free because he had a large block and it took a long time, so I guess there are some benefits.

I always saw it as an act of cowardice really, as in it's easy to be tough in a big group.

 

[Sonya610]

What is so good about being in a gang anyway, anybody?

I think there are a lot of different motivators. Kids wanting to be cool, seeing it as a way of getting respect, a way of dealing with fear, making up for a lack of family structure and the gang fills that need etc...

Then there are gangs run for profit. MS-13 controls a large amount of the drug and human trafficking trade, it is quite literally a "career" for criminals.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

I think there are a lot of different motivators. Kids wanting to be cool, seeing it as a way of getting respect, a way of dealing with fear, making up for a lack of family structure and the gang fills that need etc...

Then there are gangs run for profit. MS-13 controls a large amount of the drug and human trafficking trade, it is quite literally a "career" for criminals.

It doesn't help when sports stars and other so called role models (read guys with money) seem to follow the same mindset. Interesting in a way, that the guy they targeted was someone who was trying to live his dreams via sport, another pathway out of poverty for disenfranchised youth.

 

[Sonya610]

It doesn't help when sports stars and other so called role models (read guys with money) seem to follow the same mindset. Interesting in a way, that the guy they targeted was someone who was trying to live his dreams via sport, another pathway out of poverty for disenfranchised youth.

Those 3 are little psychopaths. They may be able to talk and act like civilized humans and fool people when they want to but that is a farce.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

Those 3 are little psychopaths. They may be able to talk and act like civilized humans and fool people when they want to but that is a farce.

Maybe, maybe not. Either way they thought using a gun made them cool or was fun, or made them like real hard and all that BS. Ugh!! I'm like the girlfriend, who cares about them, I don't want to see them either, I just hope things change a bit in the future, or my dream Route 66 trip will not be happening, I'll be way too scared to visit and will drive across Europe instead.

 

[ATasteOfHoney]

What is so good about being in a gang anyway, anybody?

Mind you, I'm not big on bikies either, I have known a few socially over the years, usually after they 'left' the club. I never saw much to get excited about. Although one offered to send some noms over to a friends house to do his lawns for free because he had a large block and it took a long time, so I guess there are some benefits.

I always saw it as an act of cowardice really, as in it's easy to be tough in a big group.

All moo.....
What is so good about being in a gang as a youth? Well, here in the States, if you are a teen and you have little structure and really can't make it in school (like reading/writing....regardless of the root cause of that failure) then you always have the option of hanging in the 'hood and joining a gang where you can feel confident and get a sense of belonging.
In the States, a lot of that is 'glamourized' through the media/music, etc.
I've expounded upon this in a previous, lengthy post....see post #682--which received one like....ugh!
I think we all have to ask these important questions & applaud you for doing so, Mrs. G.

(disclaimer: I am in no way approving gangs....just to be clear).

 

[SouthAussie]

These guys look like they made up their own little version of the Crips and made up their own initiation rites. They look like they were practising in their photos, but they just didn’t quite have it right.

 

[LambChop]

It doesn't help when sports stars and other so called role models (read guys with money) seem to follow the same mindset. Interesting in a way, that the guy they targeted was someone who was trying to live his dreams via sport, another pathway out of poverty for disenfranchised youth.

It does not appear these young men were living the life of poverty. They are just (in appearance) normal teens. One had a car, they have phones. I'm sure their parents were hard working individuals trying to give them whatever they needed. To be a "star" or success at something in your life is every teens dream. They all want to be "somebody". These three chose the wrong path. jmo

 

[Mrs G Norris]

It does not appear these young men were living the life of poverty. They are just (in appearance) normal teens. One had a car, they have phones. I'm sure their parents were hard working individuals trying to give them whatever they needed. To be a "star" or success at something in your life is every teens dream. They all want to be "somebody". These three chose the wrong path. jmo

I was under the impression from earlier posts that they were from poverty and their parents were on welfare?

 

[JeannaT]

I think these three boys can't all be lumped into the same "package".

The ringleader appears to be the youngest boy, Edwards. He's got the violent facebook, the one who danced in the police parking lot, and he barely seems to be able to pretend to be civil. I don't know much about Luna but I like his mother and suspect he didn't have a leadership role. Jones is the oldest, but the one who broke down and confessed the whole thing and he seems to have the least leadership role. I really think he might have been taken a bit by surprise by how the whole thing unfolded. Interesting, too, he's 17 and not quite 5'4". That's a tough physique for a teenage boy.

 

[Sonya610]

Jones is the oldest, but the one who broke down and confessed the whole thing and he seems to have the least leadership role. I really think he might have been taken a bit by surprise by how the whole thing unfolded. Interesting, too, he's 17 and not quite 5'4". That's a tough physique for a teenage boy.

If Jones was there when they killed the animal (dog, mule, whatever type of animal it was, stories vary) and he didn't get out then, well....

He can hang along with the others as far as I am concerned. He chose to DRIVE them after that? Let him rot in prison for the next 30 years. He is not fit to live in civilized society.

Being height challenged is no excuse, not for Manning and not for Jones.

 

[LambChop]

I was under the impression from earlier posts that they were from poverty and their parents were on welfare?

Not sure why people are assuming they are. Today the welfare system in America helps young women with training and daycare to get them out into the world and make a living. It's not common for mom's with teenagers to be on welfare, disability maybe, food stamps, healthcare not uncommon. But that just means they are lower income and in no way would they be on a poverty level.

Again, I have seen nothing that indicates these young men were from families that were poverty stricken or on welfare. jmo

 

[SouthAussie]

Wiki says there are only 23,500 people living in Duncan (in 2010) .. so not a big town.

<modsnip>

Just under 30% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Doesn&#8217;t sound like a big gang place. These guys were probably trying to be the town toughies.


wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan,_Oklahoma

 

[jjenny]

I think these three boys can't all be lumped into the same "package".

The ringleader appears to be the youngest boy, Edwards. He's got the violent facebook, the one who danced in the police parking lot, and he barely seems to be able to pretend to be civil. I don't know much about Luna but I like his mother and suspect he didn't have a leadership role. Jones is the oldest, but the one who broke down and confessed the whole thing and he seems to have the least leadership role. I really think he might have been taken a bit by surprise by how the whole thing unfolded. Interesting, too, he's 17 and not quite 5'4". That's a tough physique for a teenage boy.

Luna is the one accused of pulling the trigger.
17 year old seems to have gotten a deal to be charged as youthful offender for talking.

 

[Mrs G Norris]

Not sure why people are assuming they are. Today the welfare system in America helps young women with training and daycare to get them out into the world and make a living. It's not common for mom's with teenagers to be on welfare, disability maybe, food stamps, healthcare not uncommon. But that just means they are lower income and in no way would they be on a poverty level.

Again, I have seen nothing that indicates these young men were from families that were poverty stricken or on welfare. jmo

So they may really have been simply posturing? I bet the lawyers have them living in a cardboard box in the backyard by the time this goes to trial!

 

[Sonya610]

Again, I have seen nothing that indicates these young men were from families that were poverty stricken or on welfare. jmo

They don't look like they are poverty stricken to me! They are well dressed, they have Internet access and cameras and illegally bought firearms. No lack of funds IMO.

In the US being subsidized by the government has little to do with actual poverty in many cases.

 

[bourne]

I think these three boys can't all be lumped into the same "package".

The ringleader appears to be the youngest boy, Edwards. He's got the violent facebook, the one who danced in the police parking lot, and he barely seems to be able to pretend to be civil. I don't know much about Luna but I like his mother and suspect he didn't have a leadership role. Jones is the oldest, but the one who broke down and confessed the whole thing and he seems to have the least leadership role. I really think he might have been taken a bit by surprise by how the whole thing unfolded. Interesting, too, he's 17 and not quite 5'4". That's a tough physique for a teenage boy.

I disagree with this. I think if you're 17, you're old enough to understand and appreciate the difference between right and wrong. And murdering another person in cold blood execution style is clearly wrong.

I also believe that when you hang out with criminal types, it rubs off on you. Unfortunately, it is true that "birds of the same feather flock together". While the three boys can't be guilty simply by the mere fact of association, the fact that all three were PHYSICALLY caught on video and seen to have shot an innocent young man in the back means they are all complicit in the murder. Plus, none of them stepped forward to confess the crime until they were caught by police. That in a cinch nails it for me that they knew what they did was wrong, that they were cruel and held a depraved indifference to human life, and thought they could get away with it scot-free. I pray that they are all found guilty and throw them all in the slammer for the rest of their lives so that their prison sentence may act as a deterrent for other violent teens.

 

[Ausgirl]

Well, as --every single one-- of my posts for the last 24 hrs has been yanked, apparently whether it breached the proscribed guidelines or not -- I give up.

 

[Mystymiss]

I disagree with this. I think if you're 17, you're old enough to understand and appreciate the difference between right and wrong. And murdering another person in cold blood execution style is clearly wrong.

I also believe that when you hang out with criminal types, it rubs off on you. Unfortunately, it is true that "birds of the same feather flock together". While the three boys can't be guilty simply by the mere fact of association, the fact that all three were PHYSICALLY caught on video and seen to have shot an innocent young man in the back means they are all complicit in the murder. Plus, none of them stepped forward to confess the crime until they were caught by police. That in a cinch nails it for me that they knew what they did was wrong, that they were cruel and held a depraved indifference to human life, and thought they could get away with it scot-free. I pray that they are all found guilty and throw them all in the slammer for the rest of their lives so that their prison sentence may act as a deterrent for other violent teens.

I agree totally!

 

[LambChop]

Well, as --every single one-- of my posts for the last 24 hrs has been yanked, apparently whether it breached the proscribed guidelines or not -- I give up.

Most of the posts disappeared because the discussion was off topic regarding the racial balance in other countries. This is not about race so they were removed to keep us on track. No other reason than that. Race is not an issue and should not be an issue going forward. Your posts are important and we enjoy reading them. It's nothing personal, just off topic.

Thanks, Lamy