On May 10, 2007 sixteen-year old Blair Holt and his friends were riding the bus home from school in Chicago. This was Blair’s last ride. A Chicago juvenile gang member looking for another gang member pushes his way onto the bus and fires wildly at the other gang member who is sitting just behind Blair. The shots hit five people, including one which killed Blair. The juvenile was convicted and sentenced to life. Blair’s father, Chicago Police Officer Ron Holt, tells Blair’s story and explains why juvenile life without parole (JLWOP) for juvenile killers and violent teens is necessary and appropriate in the right cases. Officer Holt says JLWOP is not a liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican issue; it is, in his words, a “public safety issue.” Officer Holt believes LWOP for juvenile killers and violent teens keeps communities safe and strong in their fight against crime.
Charles D. Stimson is Senior Legal Fellow and Andrew M. Grossman is Senior Legal Policy Analyst in the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation.
We are saddened and send our condolences to Officer Holt and his wife. It is concerning that much of the youth today, haven't leaned nor display, the value or respect of human life. They know a gun and their choice to pull the trigger, can and will injure or take someone else's life away. It would be uncivil to consider a lesser sentence for the acts of a personal choice to kill. Age shouldn't matter when it comes to physically violating the lives of society.
My heart cries and my spirit screams at the injustice the taking of a young life by utter disregard for it by a gang banger. Blair Holt's family, the survivors and their families, will be touched by this for the remainder of their lives. Life without parole is too lenient a punishment for this crime. If capital punishment is to abhorent for some to consider, then LWOP will still act as a deterrent — this animal will kill no more of us.
Thanks for sharing Officer Holt. I agree with every word you said. I also learned some new things from your testimony.
All these JLWOP Cases are further evidence that guns are never the problem. Indeed, if guns are outlawed law-abiding citizens will be even more at the mercy of these killers, juvenile or otherwise.
The lack of parential guidence as well as the lack of conquences for all things. We are now faced with our choices. How much longer are we to be made to pay for there choices. The cost of keeping those convicted is rising. What do I have to fear 3 hots,a cot. As well as nothing to do but wait for death. I would rather free them and send a message,"These actions will NOT be tolerated".
Also, the anti gun lobbyists are revealed to be the liars that they always were: law-abiding decent people do not murder-let alone fire a weapon blindly into a crowded bus. Only a deeply disturbed person would shed so much blood so uncaringly.
My family's prayers are with the family of Blair Holt for strength and actions to finally help end compassion for sociopaths and expedite their accounting for their monstrous acts. The ACLU and all like them have done far too much harm to American families. It's time for them to stop abetting murder in any form.
One of the weaknesses of Democracies and their Justice systems is that they are generally too focused on the sentencing impact of offenders prefering appeasement and forgiveness over deterrence and personal consequences. Respect is earned not given. The victims and their kindred don't matter, their ultimate loss and pain is ignored if only they would "get over it" and move on in life. JLWOP is a critical element of deterrence and until those 'do gooders' have experienced loss as victims themselves they will never really know the difference between the two issues, only think they do. …Kanwi