Teen Gets Life In Prison for Killing a 9 Year Old Girl - Polidicks

[release][img]http://i.imgur.com/hGd3p.png[/img] JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri teenager who had described the slaying of a young neighbor girl as an "amazing" thrill made an emotional apology Wednesday to the girl's family and was sentenced to a potential lifetime in prison. Moments before her sentence was imposed, 18-year-old Alyssa Bustamante rose from her chair — with shackles linking her ankles and holding her hands to her waist — and turned to face the family of 9-year-old Elizabeth Olten, whom she confessed to killing in October 2009. "I really am extremely, very sorry for everything. I know words," she said, pausing to take a deep breath and struggling to compose herself, "can never be enough, and they can never adequately describe how horribly I feel for all of this." She later added: "If I could give my life to get her back I would. I'm sorry." Elizabeth's mother, Patty Preiss, who on the first day of Bustamante's sentencing hearing called her an "evil monster" and declared "I hate her," sat silently, staring forward as Bustamante's finished her apology. Cole County Circuit Judge Pat Joyce then sentenced Bustamante to the maximum possible sentence for second-degree murder — life in prison with the possibility of parole. She ordered the teenager to serve a consecutive 30-year term for armed criminal action, a charge resulting from her use of a knife to slit the throat and stab Elizabeth after she had strangled her into unconsciousness. Elizabeth's family declined to comment about the sentencing, as did Bustamante's family. There were no immediate indications that Bustamante planned to appeal the sentence. Bustamante originally had been charged with first-degree murder but pleaded guilty last month to the lesser charges to avoid a trial and the possibility of spending her life in an adult prison with no chance of release. Bustamante was 15 years old at the time of Elizabeth's murder in the small town of St. Martins, just west of Jefferson City. Evidence presented during her hearing revealed that Bustamante had dug a shallow grave in the woods several days in advance, then used her younger sister to lure Elizabeth out of her home with an invitation to play. Bustamante, who had hidden a knife in a backpack, said she had a surprise for Elizabeth in the forest. The surprise turned out to be her demise. During her two-day sentencing hearing, prosecutors referred repeatedly to an entry Bustamante wrote in her journal on Oct. 21, 2009 — the night of Elizabeth's death — in which she admitted to having just killed someone. "I strangled them and slit their throat and stabbed them now they're dead," Bustamante wrote in her diary, which was read in court by a handwriting expert. "I don't know how to feel atm. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the 'ohmygawd I can't do this' feeling, it's pretty enjoyable. I'm kinda nervous and shaky though right now. Kay, I gotta go to church now...lol." Bustamante then left for a youth dance at a Mormon church her family attended while hundreds of volunteers began a two-day hunt for the dead girl. Although she initially lied to authorities about Elizabeth's whereabouts, Bustamante eventually confessed to police and led them to Elizabeth's leaf-covered shallow grave. Defenses attorneys had argued for leniency after presenting evidence from family members and mental health experts about Bustamante's troubled childhood. Bustamante was born to teenage, drug-abusing parents; her father was imprisoned and her mother abandoned her, leaving her in the legal custody of her grandmother. After a suicide attempt on Labor Day 2007 as she was starting eighth grade, Bustamante was prescribed the antidepressant Prozac. Her dosage had been increased just two weeks before Elizabeth's death. A defense psychiatrist testified that the medication could have made Bustamante moodier and more violent and contributed to the murder — a theory rejected by a different psychiatrist testifying for prosecutors. Charlie Moreland, one of Bustamante's attorneys, described the sentence imposed Wednesday as "a harsh punishment." "This was a child who had been spiraling out of control, but has treatable conditions," Moreland said. Under Missouri guidelines, Bustamante would have to serve 35 years and 5 months in prison before she is eligible for parole, said Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Cline. It's also possible that the more than two years Bustamante spent in jail while awaiting her sentencing could be counted toward that time. After spending several weeks at a diagnostic prison, Bustamante could be placed in either one of Missouri's two female prisons or sent out of state. Cline said department officials also would evaluate whether Bustamante should be kept separate from other adult woman inmates.[/release] Source: [url]http://news.yahoo.com/mo-teen-gets-life-possible-parole-killing-141938731.html[/url]

-snip, that came out wrong-

Fucked up case. Clearly she's responsible by her actions, but this part bothers me: [quote]After a suicide attempt on Labor Day 2007 as she was starting eighth grade, Bustamante was prescribed the antidepressant Prozac. Her dosage had been increased just two weeks before Elizabeth's death. A defense psychiatrist testified that the medication could have made Bustamante moodier and more violent and contributed to the murder — a theory rejected by a different psychiatrist testifying for prosecutors.[/quote] I don't know, seems like maybe lifetime in a mental institution is more fitting. Prozac and SSRIs can have crazy reactions, it made my sister suicidal and completely changed who she was.

Okay, just committed a deadly sin, feels good bro. Lets go to church!

[QUOTE=Bassplaya7;34610055]Fucked up case. Clearly she's responsible by her actions, but this part bothers me: I don't know, seems like maybe lifetime in a mental institution is more fitting. Prozac and SSRIs can have crazy reactions, it made my sister suicidal and completely changed who she was.[/QUOTE] An increase in dosage can't cause this: [quote]"I strangled them and slit their throat and stabbed them now they're dead," Bustamante wrote in her diary, which was read in court by a handwriting expert. "I don't know how to feel atm. It was ahmazing. As soon as you get over the 'ohmygawd I can't do this' feeling, it's pretty enjoyable. I'm kinda nervous and shaky though right now. Kay, I gotta go to church now...lol."[/quote]

[QUOTE=Sumap;34610053]Damn, that's harsh, sounds like she was just doing it for the rush, and now half her life's gone down the shitter for what could have been a thoughtless decision. Can't say I sympathize for her especially though.[/QUOTE] Even if she was just doing it for the rush, it doesn't take away from what she did.

So what's the killer look like?

[QUOTE=Sumap;34610053]Damn, that's harsh, sounds like she was just doing it for the rush, and now half her life's gone down the shitter for what could have been a thoughtless decision. Can't say I sympathize for her especially though.[/QUOTE] I'd say doing it for the rush is worse, as it indicates an unpredictability & total lack of empathy.

[QUOTE=Gordy H.;34610084]An increase in dosage can't cause this:[/QUOTE] Within a week, my sister was grabbing knives and threatening to hurt herself and others. I clearly said she's responsible for her actions, but honestly, have you or any of your loved ones ever taken a drug like this? It makes you a completely different person. And while she still deserves to be punished, do you really think it's coincidental that within a month of her increasing her dosage she did this?

"A Missouri teenager who had described the slaying of a young neighbor girl as an "amazing" thrill..." Damn kid's a psychopath.

I still don't get the whole idea behind the let's wait till they're 18 and then prosecute them as an adult, or the let's sentence a minor to death but let's wait a couple years till he/she's 18 and then have appeal after appeal after appeal till the person has been on death row for 80 years and then finish them off.

[QUOTE=TheFilmSlacker;34610160]I don't believe in life sentences. I believe in rehabilitation.[/QUOTE] except psychopaths can't be rehabilitated or even treated.

[QUOTE=MightyMax;34610196]"A Missouri teenager who had described the slaying of a young neighbor girl as an "amazing" thrill..." Damn kid's a psychopath.[/QUOTE] She wrote it in her diary, normally you don't tell such things to others. I don't think she quite got her emotions straight at that point. This kid just needs some serious mental help, life in prison isn't going to help anyone.

[QUOTE=PrusseluskenV2;34610143][img]http://i.imgur.com/hGd3p.png[/img][/QUOTE] I though it was a boy when I saw the picture then I read the article....

[QUOTE=Crpto2007;34610422]except psychopaths can't be rehabilitated or even treated.[/QUOTE] did you read the part that said she was on an anitdepressant? you do know how many cases like this there have been and the people got off because of a negative reaction to the medication. I hardly believe she deserves her sentence, she needs help.

[QUOTE=Crpto2007;34610422]except psychopaths can't be rehabilitated or even treated.[/QUOTE] Psychopathy very rarely results in violence so while the condition itself can't be treated the person's behaviour can be managed with therapy

I do not know what to think of this, to be honest. Is it not wiser to attempt rehabilitation, and if that does not succeed.. Well, this is a possibility.

While I usually think people should get a second chance, I can't get over the fact that she enjoyed it.

life in prison is worse than death

I think there needs to be some sort of official inquiry into the side effects of antidepressants...

[QUOTE=calle7112;34610596]Just [highlight]WHY[/highlight] would you want to kill a innocent 9 year old. Theres no reason for it[/QUOTE] Pharma

good.

After reading what she wrote in her diary, I just have 0 sympathy for her, and only can say: justice has been served.

[QUOTE=calle7112;34610596]Just [highlight]WHY[/highlight] would you want to kill a innocent 9 year old. Theres no reason for it[/QUOTE] Because her key developmental years were traumatized by having addict parents and being abandoned. Because she was mentally disturbed, and was taking psychoactive drugs that have a limited amount of study in developing children. Because she was indoctrinated in zealous religious culture. (Which is why I find the "gotta go to church now, lol" thing so creepy--I can just kind of feel her dissociation from reality from that statement). Basically she had no moral compass and was an extremely broken girl. The same potential lies in all of us, it's just unfortunate that her life had such a sad string of circumstances as to cause this to happen. Honestly I feel bad for her. As she matures and is more capable of empathy I imagine this will tear her up inside and only damage her further.

I wish rehabilitation was possible, but I feel like the only choice here is a lifetime spent outside of society for this person. Pettier crimes are one thing, murdering a 9 year old girl with your bare hands is another. Things like this are sad, but what else can you do with a murderer even if she is just a young girl herself.

[QUOTE=DaFreshLemon;34610825]After reading what she wrote in her diary, I just have 0 sympathy for her, and only can say: justice has been served.[/QUOTE] let's kill a crazy person for being a crazy person, yeah okay. i'm not sympathizing with the fact that she killed a kid, but she has a history of being pretty fucked up and something should've been done before she got to this point.

[QUOTE=Zeke129;34610495]Psychopathy very rarely results in violence so while the condition itself can't be treated the person's behaviour can be managed with therapy[/QUOTE] Even then there are chances of it not working, it's best to have them institutionalized or in prison. [QUOTE=PrusseluskenV2;34610914]I don't think you folks get it Obviously she wasn't mentally sound when this happened Do you really believe she just felt like go murdering the neighbour just for shits and giggles?[/QUOTE] She got a rush out of that, enjoyment and had the ability to know that she had done wrong. She said had to go to church, why else but to try to get forgiveness for what she did? She knew what she did was wrong but did it anyways, medication could have attributed to what happened, but either way she knew what she was doing and should be punished, not rehabilitated. There is no rehabilitation for people who get thrills from it, that's like saying you could have rehabilitated Dahmer or Bundy.

[QUOTE=Bassplaya7;34610162]Within a week, my sister was grabbing knives and threatening to hurt herself and others. I clearly said she's responsible for her actions, but honestly, have you or any of your loved ones ever taken a drug like this? It makes you a completely different person. And while she still deserves to be punished, do you really think it's coincidental that within a month of her increasing her dosage she did this?[/QUOTE] They increased my dose of Prozac nearly a year ago, then I ate everything in the medicine cabinet and spent two weeks in a hospital. Hospital tried giving me Prozac again. Hospital did A LOT of shit. I don't know how I feel about life sentences for the actions of a 15 year old that obviously has a lot of shit going on inside their head.

I hate these kind of cases. First you have a dead 9 year old, then you have an 18 year old who now has to spend the rest of her life in jail. 70+ years in jail will suck.

Good riddance. I don't really care why, someone who goes after a defenseless nine year old doesn't deserve to see the light of day ever again. Personally, I'd have banished her to bikini atoll or something. Fly her out there, dump her on the island, bugger off, let her fend for herself. [QUOTE=Pace.;34610688]I think there needs to be some sort of official inquiry into the side effects of antidepressants...[/QUOTE] I think there needs to be some sort of official inquiry into why so many people are on the fucking things in the first place. We don't know how the brain works, yet we wildly prescribe drugs which massively fuck with the brain for shit that don't need pills in the first place! I believe a vast majority of people on these things have no actual, medical reason to be on them, and are only on them because it's quicker and easier than actually fixing the reason they're not feeling good. Things such as general "Life sucks" sentiments, troubled relationships, shit like that. Does that mean the girl in this article is one of them? Idunno. Maybe she is, maybe she isn't, the article doesn't give me enough to go on for that.