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The local news has been relentless in its' coverage of this case. The judge is not happy with the way the Sheriff's office and deputies handled this case. The obvious screw up of questioning a minor without even contacting a parent or guardian, plus the fact that they released the video to the press (so the public can pre judge the kid) has 'turned this into a textbook case of "How not to question a minor and how to completely screw up an investigation." '; as stated on TV by an ex-D.A.
The Sheriff's office stands little chance of winning either this criminal case or the public's approval of how they treated the child.
Whether or not he did it will be hard to determine. An 8 y.o. in that type of stress will say whatever he thinks he should say to appease the authorities.
2 adults, in uniform, wearing him down with their questions.
He changed his story 3 times, until he said that he did it. I know that my kids at that age could have been pressured into saying that under those circumstances.
The good news is that the judge has allowed him to go home with his mother for Thanksgiving (with several preconditions (no guns in the house and no video games) and court appointed observers).
Really a travesty in how the Sheriff's office handled this.
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