Florida shooting - Shawn Tyson to be tried for double first degree murder

So the police in Florida have got enough evidence to put Shawn Tyson on trial for the double murders in Sarasota of British tourists James Cooper and James Kouzaris. Tyson is a tearaway. A danger to the community. That's what a judge said, but the judge's remarks went unheeded. The tragedy in all this is that human nature can be debased very quickly. Tyson's inner core is sinking quite quickly. In fact, he may well have been a threat to the outside world once he mastered walking. Now he faces a lifetime in jail, without parole, if he is convicted. Tyson is only sixteen yet that's him done as far as society is concerned.

In Florida, as in other states, juveniles can be tried as adults. This is not to delineate any legal nicety. It is more to get full measure of vengeance and retribution. Tyson will, if convicted, go to a Department of Corrections that will have little interest in correcting him. Why should they. He'll be in for life. Assuming they feed him well and don't let him get buggered in the showers he could live to be 100. Americans are going to get far more ageing convicts, just as they will ageing any other groups.

The system let down the two British friends. The system allowed Tyson to become a dangerous street roamer. Can the system change? If it doesn't then we'll just get more of the same. Conviction for murder should entail a lengthy prison sentence. But I firmly believe that criminals should be steered towards re-formation and rehabilitation. Justice is one thing. We all deserve justice in the face of horrendous crimes and, whatever the status and nature of the accused, punishment must be meted out. However, vengeance and retribution just perpetuates the vicious cycle and really demeans us all.

These two Britons murdered in the way they were deserve justice with the scales properly balanced. And they deserve one more thing. Speculation is rife about why they ventured into this depraved, crime-ridden zone. Probably because they had no idea that it was. Simple as that. I can say that I have found myself in similar situations in Atlanta. I got wise as to which bits were bad and which were not. But as a visitor on vacation? No chance. There were no signs up saying "Crime-ridden ghetto! Get Out!" or such like. Most of the area of Newtown, Sarasota seems to be populated with bungalows all set on dusty hot streets if Google Maps are anything to go by. Not the most salubrious setting but certainly not a place to frighten off lost souls.

So speculate not. However, rest assured we all know what sort of a place Newtown is now. And more's the pity. Perhaps something positive can come out of all this?

Daily Telegraph report

Posted in: Florida,murder,Sarasota,Shawn Tyson