I need people, especially FL Residents, to sign my petition for Aaron's Law.

[jtrier1]

Aaron Hill is an autistic boy in Okeechobee who was lured out of his home by a girl claiming to want to go on a date. Once they got to the location she chose, he was ambushed by Andrew Wheeler and a gang of at least 8 other people. Andrew beat him senseless, held a knife to his throat, And told him he was going to shoot and kill him. Video of the incident was put on Andrew’s facebook and he went around bragging about his crime. He was arrested, but only charged with minor assault and no charges or arrests are being made on the others involved.

 

 

This petition calls for Florida lawmakers to create a law that will make assaulting a disabled person a felony and give anyone who is convicted of assaulting an individual with either a physical or mental disability a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison plus restitution. Aaron's Law will also give a mandatory minimum of 3 years in prison plus restitution for any individual who acts as an accomplice to the crime.

 

You can help put an end to such vile actions by signing the petition here: chn.ge/Yl8uoY 

 

It would also be helpful if you share this with the hashtag #JusticeforAaron on Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media sites. Thanks everyone!

[BonBon Scott]

That won't stop people.

[dizmo]

Anyone who would boast about that clearly doesn't belong in society, and needs to either be rehabilitated or left to rot in a cell.

How could he think that was cool? Even more concerning is the fact he found those like minded individuals.

I understand there are multitudes more people in the US, but it still shocks me to see things like that happen seemingly frequently.

Makes me wonder what is wrong with the way you Yanks are raised.

[helping]

this law sounds kind of like a bad idea imo

[Imaginaerum]

Anyone who would boast about that clearly doesn't belong in society, and needs to either be rehabilitated or left to rot in a cell.

How could he think that was cool? Even more concerning is the fact he found those like minded individuals.

I understand there are multitudes more people in the US, but it still shocks me to see things like that happen seemingly frequently.

Makes me wonder what is wrong with the way you Yanks are raised.

It didn't happen in yankee land, it happened in Florida. Friggin Florida man.

 

As for the law, I can people saying "but what if a petty assault gets turned into a 5 year felony because he didn't know he was disabled" or "he spit on me I'm disabled PRISON." I don't have to make that decision luckily but it sounds like it could have problems.

[dizmo]

It didn't happen in yankee land, it happened in Florida. Friggin Florida man.

 

As for the law, I can people saying "but what if a petty assault gets turned into a 5 year felony because he didn't know he was disabled" or "he spit on me I'm disabled PRISON." I don't have to make that decision luckily but it sounds like it could have problems.

Haha, just as all Canadians are thought of as living in frigid cold climates, all American's are known to me as Yanks.

I'm also British by heritage. So that helps.

[Mooshi]

Screw the specifics. Assaulting /anyone/ is a crime, regardless if they have disabilities or not. Doesn't matter if the able body is committing the crime or someone who is wheelchair bound packing heat. I don't like the wording of this at all.

 

Florida is a pretty messed up sate, though. Seriously. it let this happen and the kid behind the wheel didn't even get prison time for it;

 

 

166 days in the county jail and he was free to continue his life while his 'friend' he injured is forever in a vegetative state.

 

The fact Florida did jack shit about the 8 others who attacked this kid doesn't surprise me in the least. I can't even fathom the stupidity of Florida's government sometimes. Use to live there forever ago and it seems whenever a weird news story breaks out, it tends to be from the east.

[BrandedUpontheGrave]

Screw the specifics. Assaulting /anyone/ is a crime, regardless if they have disabilities or not. Doesn't matter if the able body is committing the crime or someone who is wheelchair bound packing heat. I don't like the wording of this at all.

 

Florida is a pretty messed up sate, though. Seriously. it let this happen and the kid behind the wheel didn't even get prison time for it;

 

 

166 days in the county jail and he was free to continue his life while his 'friend' he injured is forever in a vegetative state.

 

The fact Florida did jack shit about the 8 others who attacked this kid doesn't surprise me in the least. There aren't many state governments I have little respect for, but Florida isn't exactly high on the list.

So you have more than 'little' respect for most state governments? I know, I know, mistype.

 

Unless. You mean to say you don't even have a 'little' respect for many state governments, in which case worded fine.

[ddbtkd456]

 

Aaron Hill is an autistic boy in Okeechobee who was lured out of his home by a girl claiming to want to go on a date. Once they got to the location she chose, he was ambushed by Andrew Wheeler and a gang of at least 8 other people. Andrew beat him senseless, held a knife to his throat, And told him he was going to shoot and kill him. Video of the incident was put on Andrew’s facebook and he went around bragging about his crime. He was arrested, but only charged with minor assault and no charges or arrests are being made on the others involved.

 

 

This petition calls for Florida lawmakers to create a law that will make assaulting a disabled person a felony and give anyone who is convicted of assaulting an individual with either a physical or mental disability a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison plus restitution. Aaron's Law will also give a mandatory minimum of 3 years in prison plus restitution for any individual who acts as an accomplice to the crime.

 

You can help put an end to such vile actions by signing the petition here: chn.ge/Yl8uoY 

 

It would also be helpful if you share this with the hashtag #JusticeforAaron on Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media sites. Thanks everyone!

 

 

They already have had this happen at least 4 times before...they got arrested end of story....they will two in time....but laws don't stop people...IMO laws are like rules, they are meant to be broken.

[mr moose]

They already have had this happen at least 4 times before...they got arrested end of story....they will two in time....but laws don't stop people...IMO laws are like rules, they are meant to be broken.

which is why you end with people in clock towers with guns and lynch mobs.  

 

Give me five minutes with the lad and he'll never commit another crime again and it won't cost the state or the government a cent.

[ddbtkd456]

which is why you end with people in clock towers with guns and lynch mobs.  

 

Give me five minutes with the lad and he'll never commit another crime again and it won't cost the state or the government a cent.

 

Yep....thats how I use to be at least....anymore I just do what I am told. But seriously I've been around enough gangs in my life to know laws don't mean shit to people.

[Epis]

Not to sound mean but I don't think this law should be passed.
 
Laws are meant to be made in a manner that affects all people equally, not to single out different groups. Instead of creating a new law to protect physically/mentally disabled people, the current laws around assault should be revised so that the judge may better assess the severity of the assault and hand down a sentence accordingly. As Imaginaerum said, a this new law can create problems, because petty assault can turn in to a felony with 5 years prison time if the person committing the assault was not aware that the victim was disabled. Also, at what point is someone determined to be 'disabled'? Do they have to be formally diagnosed with a mental condition? Do they have to be wheelchair bound? Or can a disabled person be defined as someone who has a broken leg and needs crutches.

 

The point is, the Judge in this case should have handed down a harsher penalty because of the severity of the crime, and laws shouldn't be made for or against certain groups. The law should affect everybody that chooses to obey or disobey it.

[Mooshi]

I still say this is a terribly written law that shouldn't see the light of day. instead of bullshit writings, judges should use common sense fitting of each crime. That's what's wrong with this country, often than not, the punishment doesn't fit the crime and we have falsely accused locked away for life, people serving hard time for something minor and on the extreme end, rapists and murders free to roam the streets. These twits in robes shouldn't be bound by asinine laws, they should rule with integrity. Anyone on the street with common sense would have convicted all involved and not give the attacker a slap on the wrist. 5 years felony? Hell no. That same mindset is why people are rotting in the system over dumb crap like weed charges.

 

Mandatory sentences is leading America into the dark ages. Rule with common sense and make judgement tailored to the crime, not the lynch mob making idiotic rules.

[TopWargamer]

There are already laws in place for this kind of thing with the same amount of jail time as you stated. The amount of jail time a person gets varies on the degree of the crime (in this case, assault), which is fair. With laws like what you're talking about already in place, "Aaron's Law" is irrelevant.

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2008/rpt/2008-R-0619.htm

[Mooshi]

Not to sound mean but I don't think this law should be passed.

 

Laws are meant to be made in a manner that affects all people equally, not to single out different groups. Instead of creating a new law to protect physically/mentally disabled people, the current laws around assault should be revised so that the judge may better assess the severity of the assault and hand down a sentence accordingly. As Imaginaerum said, a this new law can create problems, because petty assault can turn in to a felony with 5 years prison time if the person committing the assault was not aware that the victim was disabled. Also, at what point is someone determined to be 'disabled'? Do they have to be formally diagnosed with a mental condition? Do they have to be wheelchair bound? Or can a disabled person be defined as someone who has a broken leg and needs crutches.

 

The point is, the Judge in this case should have handed down a harsher penalty because of the severity of the crime, and laws shouldn't be made for or against certain groups. The law should affect everybody that chooses to obey or disobey it.

 

My thoughts exactly, in a less harsh tone.

[eLucid]

That truly is sad. Some people don't deserve to see the light of day.

[SuperfastJellyfish]

which is why you end with people in clock towers with guns and lynch mobs.  

 

Give me five minutes with the lad and he'll never commit another crime again and it won't cost the state or the government a cent.

 

Widespread public shaming and banning from any kind of welfare benefits for life would be a better punishment than anything that currently stands. Also mandatory public service that includes helping the ill/disabled.

 

The shaming would perhaps include the perp having to inform all future employers and neighbors of their crime.

 

and yeah, a nice beating

[jtrier1]

That won't stop people.

 

Maybe not, but it will give a stronger punishment to those who do.