Prosecute Adults Who Let Kids Get Guns

Re “14-Year-Old Guilty of Killing Teacher,” May 17: As the mother of two sons, I cried when I read that the jury had convicted that 14-year-old child for shooting his teacher. I am no bleeding heart liberal. I believe in the 2nd Amendment. I believe that you must take responsibility for your actions. I believe that children by that age know right from wrong and that it is wrong to aim a loaded weapon at someone.

I also believe that this child killed his teacher in part because an irresponsible adult made the gun available to him, allowing a child to act on his impulsive, albeit intentional, overwhelming anger. We can impose licensing and other regulations from now till doomsday, but it won’t stop violence unless we impose severe penalties on those who give minors access to such weapons. Trigger locks might help, but kids figure out all sorts of ways to get around such limits.

Before we put 14-year-old children in jail for decades, let’s start prosecuting and severely punishing adults who leave their loaded guns where children can get them. There is no excuse for such adult negligence and irresponsibility.

Rebecca Mocciaro

Los Angeles

Nathaniel Brazill should be punished. However, life in prison is despicable and utterly deplorable. There is a double-standard set of laws when it comes to blacks in America, especially poor blacks. The cards are stacked against a black male child, whether he commits a heinous crime or not.

Nathaniel deserves a second chance. I commend the attorney, Robert Udell, for his efforts. His body language says it all (photo, May 17).

I am disgusted with the Constitution, which has never applied to blacks. In reality, the Constitution means, “We, some of the people.” Nathaniel fits that mold. Rich, poor, famous or unknown, everyone deserves a second chance.

Valdemenia N. Williams

Los Angeles

Regarding the photo of Udell reacting to the conviction of his client: When I cry in the courtroom, I cry for the murdered, not the murderer.

Richard Harbinger

Deputy Dist. Attorney (Ret.)

Los Angeles

A quote in the article states that the teacher who was killed was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Wasn’t it Brazill who was in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Joan Martin

Woodland Hills