DISQUS

Jeff · 8 months ago

Quantel stabbed his step brother twice killing him. "They locked me up and threw away the keys," Lotts, now 23, said from prison. "They took away all hope for the future."
He takes no responsibility for the murder, instead blaming the justice system for taking away his future. I wonder if the author would feel differently if he had killed her son perhaps?

Cheri · 8 months ago

Jeff, I am the author and I acknowledge that this is a tragedy all the way around. Let's get this straight. This was an accidental killing, not a premeditated murder.

If my child was killed by my stepson while they were playing, I believe that I would be devastated. At the same time, I also would understand that this was not something that was done in malice. Sending my stepson to prison for the rest of his life at the age of 14 would not bring my son back.

With regard to Quantel's comments from the article, I don't believe these statements indicate that he takes NO responsibility for his actions. Instead, I believe that he was pointing out that if he had received a fair judgment, the rest of his life would not be lost to prison.

I stand by everything I said in the article, and I completely agree with Quantel Lotts.

Thanks for your comments Jeff, and I look forward to more dialogue as you see fit!

Jeff · 8 months ago

How is it an accidental killing? He stabbed the victim twice with a knife, correct? He accidentally picked up the knife and accidentally stabbed his step brother twice? He was also convicted of first degree murder so the jury obviously thought that there was not only malice but premeditation.

While his punishment will not bring the victim back it will save others from suffering the same fate as his step brother.

shukura · 8 months ago

The fact is that most inmates get a second chance by having parole as an option. This is definitely an injustice. I hope this can be fixed and we go about repealing these laws that allowed this to happen in the first place because as usual, the law is unequally applied to minority teenagers. When you are a minority, it seems you can never expect fairness when you are thrown into the justice system. I do, however, agree that he had to spend some time in jail because a person was dead and he purposefully used a weapon with the intent to harm.

Cheri · 8 months ago

I agree Shukura! The criminal justice system is extremely unbalanced with regard to the way that minorities are treated.

As far as Quantel is concerned, I agree that he needed to pay for the consequences of his actions, but life in prison is excessive.