New Mexico Boy Charged With Murder in Father's Death (10 years old when murder committed)

[WriteDown]

Source: AP

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An 11-year-old New Mexico boy who police say reported he fatally shot his father because the man was punishing him was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder.

Belen Police Sgt. Joe Portio said evidence supports the murder charge filed by District Attorney Lemuel Martinez's office. He declined to elaborate, citing a request by the boy's attorney, Jeff Buckels.

Police have said the boy shot 42-year-old Bryon Hilburn with a rifle on Aug. 27 while his 6-year-old sister was in the room, then flagged down officers outside the family's home in Belen, about 30 miles south of Albuquerque.

The boy was 10 at the time.

Buckels said he hasn't seen the charges but added: "The whole idea that a 10-year-old boy is capable of committing deliberate murder is preposterous."

The boy remains in the custody of his mother. His name is being withheld because of his age. He cannot face adult sanctions because New Mexico law says a child must be 14 or older to be tried as an adult for murder.

According to a police report, the boy told officers he shot his father because he was upset about punishment imposed by Hilburn. The boy also told police he used his own rifle to shoot Hilburn.....

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,571527,00.html?test=latestnews

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Budding sociopath? Spooky .

[EndersDame]

1. Perhaps the punishment was more like abuse?

either way this is just sad

[CBGLuthier]

10. Blame the victim?

[GodlessBiker]

2. The boy used his own rifle? Parents take note.

[Lance_Boyle]

3. I have no problem with a ten year old having a rifle.

It's the fact that he had access to ammunition that's concerning. The parents should have been more responsible with that.

[robo50]

8. DUH, do you know how easy it is to cop a few bullets?

RIGHT! Give the 10 year old a rifle, and try to manage the bullets.

I don't know what part of realistic you happen to want to ignore.

What is a boy going to do with a rifle without ammo? Do all parents always count the number of bullets they give out at a rifle range practice? How many bullets would a boy of ten need to kill his father? I know the answer to that one, ONE!

[proteus_lives]

4. Not about that.

I had a .22 rifle when I was that age and I was mad at my father plenty of times.

The issues here are psychological and obviously deeper then mere punishment.

[Jackpine Radical]

5. More likely simply a very damaged kid.

[marshall]

6. Hopefully the mother will get the boy some therapy

And sleep with one eye open, and with little sis well protected.

[Ishmael1]

7. I Live In Belen. He Will Be Tried As A Juvenile

Of course, that means, if he's convicted, he'll spend 10 years in Juvenile Detention until he's 21 years of age.

[robo50]

9. I guess that's fair, if he gets some goo services and therapy while there.

But I'd like to know exactly how well qualified the psychiatrists and psychologists are who will handle this guy.

I'm hoping we can also TRY TO keep his ownership of guns away from him for a while, after he gets out... like for the rest of his life, with random checks every so often for a few years.