Heinous Crimes Deserve Adult Court

According to South High Security Guard Tim Eirich, students at the age of 17 in the state of Wisconsin can be tried as an adult if they commit a crime. Recently, two 13-year-old boys, Antonio D. Barbeau and Nathan J. Paape, were charged as adults for first-degree intentional homicide of Barbara J. Olsen, Barbeau’s great grandmother.

Barbeau and Paape could be facing life in prison if they are found guilty by being charged as adults. The question is, “Do these boys deserve to be tried as adults for the crime they committed?” or “Should they be tried as juveniles because of their age?” Eirich stated that if students are tried as juveniles and convicted of their

crimes, they are sent to juvenile prison until the age of 25 and then released from the system.
According to sheboygan daily.com, the criminal complaint stated “they stole her car, eventually parking it near a bowling alley in the City of Sheboygan with the keys inside while they went to eat pizza.” Yes, life in prison, if convicted by a judge or jury for 13 year-olds is a long time to be in jail. But taking another human’s life is a very heinous crime and shouldn’t be taken lightly. The Lake Breeze believes they and any others who commit heinous crimes as juveniles should be tried in adult court.