Of course, each and every one of you are without 'sin'... having never broken a single law, correct? Perhaps all motor vehicle offenses should now be a criminal offense that has mandatory prison time... because speeding (example) threatens your life as well as the lives of any passengers, and anyone else who may end up in the path of your vehicle.Bet you don't see it that way... now do you?I find it amazing how people can justify being as harsh as possible with regards to punishment for others, even to the point of implying flat out falsehoods to further bolster their desire for harshness... yet think that anything they might do to be of insignficant consequence.This boy hasn't posed any more dangerous a threat than a person speeding down the road (a crime)... and perhaps even less.

I haven't mentioned throwing the book at the guy, nor that I was perfect. I have simply stated that what he did was wrong and a danger to others, and that people who think he is some type of Robin Hood need to gain some insight (you haven't said that, let me make clear). However when you preface a post by saying "each and every one of you are without 'sin'." I feel you are being judgmental as well and you're generalizing. I also believe your post completely ignores my comment about the boy being caught with a firearm. That made him a much more dangerous threat than your typical speeder. Continuing with the speeding analogy, I for one feel speeding should be a criminal offense when the speeder is aggressive, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, cutting off other drivers or grossly negligent behind the wheel (such as lacking the training to be behind the wheel in the first place). It doesn't matter if he's only going a few miles above the limit. That type of person is in possession of a deadly weapon regardless of whether someone gets hurt. Also if the speeder is driving a stolen car, that's a criminal offense. The aircraft were stolen. That doesn't mean incarcerate the kid for life, but don't belittle the risk he put on others.-John

He had a gun. What do you think he needed it for? To protect himself from bad guys? -John

eh,what happened to the Second Amendment?He has the right to bear arms so I don't see why that is a problem.And he doesn't have to explain why,too,it is his right according to the law.Good luck proving he wanted to use it for anything other then his own protection.

eh,what happened to the Second Amendment?He has the right to bear arms so I don't see why that is a problem.And he doesn't have to explain why,too,it is his right according to the law.Good luck proving he wanted to use it for anything other then his own protection.

Before this gets locked for straying far of course, I'd like to ask of the Constitutional Scholar, does the U.S. Constitution apply to another country or their laws? Are you familar with the CCW provisions that most every jurisdiction in the U.S. has? Has this citizen been convicted of a felony, which would strip him of many of his rights under the U.S. Constitution? Gosh, there's so much more to consider, but this stupid thread has become a display piece of interesting thoughts and opinions.Bottom line? The captured barefoot bandit will be given (hopefully?) the appropriate punishment for his crimes. Let's hope he learns from his many and varied mistakes that he has chosen to make during his short life time.

eh,what happened to the Second Amendment?He has the right to bear arms so I don't see why that is a problem.And he doesn't have to explain why,too,it is his right according to the law.Good luck proving he wanted to use it for anything other then his own protection.

This is just sarcasim , gotta be.but just for the fun of it.First answer:He was in the Bahamas when caught. You are aware they do not live under the same laws and constitututionof the United States of America. Right.? I'll give you the benefit of doubt and believe you knew that.Answer two:Again, he wasn't in the US , flashing a pistola in't allowed. ....So.... BIG Problemo.Three:he WILL be doing a lot of explaining rest assured... They have ways of making him talk.And number four: ( you saved the best for last.)He was using the weapon for protection? ...? From whom... Law enforcment officers?Or the property owners he needed to rob?

Robin Hood,?Perhaps you should Stop labeling where labels are unwarranted, Robin hood stole from the rich to give the poor. This kid isn't doing that, and clearly I've not mentioned robin hood or the idea that the kid was totally in the right. That's your own misconception. One that's false, rediculous and something I never implied . You should really re-read that post, you yourself might gain some insight. It's a far-sighted ideology, it views s the matter as a whole, and you know what's worse?You can't deny it, You've helped our american cause

I haven't mentioned throwing the book at the guy, nor that I was perfect. I have simply stated that what he did was wrong and a danger to others, and that people who think he is some type of Robin Hood need to gain some insight (you haven't said that, let me make clear). However when you preface a post by saying "each and every one of you are without 'sin'." I feel you are being judgmental as well and you're generalizing. I also believe your post completely ignores my comment about the boy being caught with a firearm. That made him a much more dangerous threat than your typical speeder. Continuing with the speeding analogy, I for one feel speeding should be a criminal offense when the speeder is aggressive, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, cutting off other drivers or grossly negligent behind the wheel (such as lacking the training to be behind the wheel in the first place). It doesn't matter if he's only going a few miles above the limit. That type of person is in possession of a deadly weapon regardless of whether someone gets hurt. Also if the speeder is driving a stolen car, that's a criminal offense. The aircraft were stolen. That doesn't mean incarcerate the kid for life, but don't belittle the risk he put on others.-John

Because everyone who has a handgun is a murderer huh?. This kid never used the gun so your implications are that of a falsification. That would be Your imagination at work. I'll just say I'm glad you don't work in our legal system :( (if you do, god help us)Guns are a great tool for survival, it's been proven over hundreds of years by sportsmen in the American frontier. :).Buffallo ;)RabbitsSquirrelsa deer if you can find onean elkMountain goatAll good eats!I find you're being hypocritical john, You're full happy to crucify this kid, but are unaccepting of your own flaws and crimes in society. This kid's crimes are not those of Horror murder and rape and he doesn't need to be given a pitchfork. Ryan

He had a gun. What do you think he needed it for? To protect himself from bad guys? As far as "never crashed where it would hurt others", the people on the ground were blessed. The kid did not care about anyone or anything other than himself and I suspect had he gotten into trouble and had it been a avoiding a playground full of kids or sacrificing himself, he would have risked the kids.-John

One thing you should learn (if you aren't too old yet, old dogs new tricks you know the saying)Life in itself, is the greatest right of passage in the universe. Everything else is in the details, and not particularly important either way, as long as life succeeds. Everyone's alive, this kids crimes are entertaining but ultimately not important in the large scheme of things.Get over yourself please, realize that not all things get better with age and the fact that your old doesn't mean you have right over anyone in the year 2010 and you'll be fine. :( Life is utterly and entirely fair, it's death that's unfair.

HelloRyan one thing you will learn as you get older and gain more experience, is that life does not grant anyone rights.Once you get over that and realize that life is not fair you will be fine.

I haven't mentioned throwing the book at the guy, nor that I was perfect. I have simply stated that what he did was wrong and a danger to others, and that people who think he is some type of Robin Hood need to gain some insight (you haven't said that, let me make clear). However when you preface a post by saying "each and every one of you are without 'sin'." I feel you are being judgmental as well and you're generalizing. I also believe your post completely ignores my comment about the boy being caught with a firearm. That made him a much more dangerous threat than your typical speeder.

You're rushing to judgement regarding the firearm. He had one, how is that a dangerous threat? At what point did he ever give any hint/clue/indication he was 'armed and dangerous'? The answer: never. No one in U.S. law enforcement labeled him dangerous, a threat... etc. A criminal, sure. But 'armed and dangerous' was not part of his behavior.Since we have no idea where the gun was obtained, one could easily assume that he's had it for most of his journey. Since no one's ever reported it being used.... one can draw the conclusion it's not been used during the commision of a crime.So... how's he a more dangerous threat than a speeder? Because there was a gun in the boat??? That isn't going to 'float' without proof he intended to use it for threatening/harming others.My discussion isn't about if I think the kid's right/wrong. I'm tired of people making crap up to justify their attitude towards stuff like this. The kid has not put anyone on the planet in any more danger than they are every single day and absolutely no one can provide proof otherwise. To imply he's more dangerous than your next-door neighbor... is making stuff up. Zero fact in evidence.

You're rushing to judgement regarding the firearm. He had one, how is that a dangerous threat? At what point did he ever give any hint/clue/indication he was 'armed and dangerous'? The answer: never. No one in U.S. law enforcement labeled him dangerous, a threat... etc. A criminal, sure. But 'armed and dangerous' was not part of his behavior.Since we have no idea where the gun was obtained, one could easily assume that he's had it for most of his journey. Since no one's ever reported it being used.... one can draw the conclusion it's not been used during the commision of a crime.So... how's he a more dangerous threat than a speeder? Because there was a gun in the boat??? That isn't going to 'float' without proof he intended to use it for threatening/harming others.My discussion isn't about if I think the kid's right/wrong. I'm tired of people making crap up to justify their attitude towards stuff like this. The kid has not put anyone on the planet in any more danger than they are every single day and absolutely no one can provide proof otherwise. To imply he's more dangerous than your next-door neighbor... is making stuff up. Zero fact in evidence.

Taking a high performance airplane into the air with no training is a dangerous threat to everyone in the air and on the ground-period.If it had been a 767 instead would you feel there was not threat to safety? How is this any different?In the 1970's when I lived in San Diego there was a similar aged kid that convinced his family that he had learned how to fly. (He hadn't). He convinced them to take a ride with him. He stole an twin aircraft, and crashed shortly after takeoff killing them all. Luckily he didn't take anyone's lives on the ground. Probably a similar personality as this barefoot kid but the end results were not as good. <edit> It also appears that those familiar with this kid view him as what he was-a no good low life..http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100713/ap_on_...s_teen_fugitive

Life is utterly and entirely fair, it's death that's unfair.

Then by our own reasoning it was totally fair for some guy to own a C400 and for another to be poor and hungry?I realised early on in life that things were not always fair, it was an important thing to learn.After that I just made sure that in any situation things were stacked as much as possible in my favour, it works :( When I read your post justifying this childs behavior it brought to mind the look on my fathers face. And the way he would smile when I spouted the same type of inane drivel all those years ago.So I read your post and just smiled, as you will in years to come, it happens to all of us at some point.But please don't go out of the front door believing life is fair, it is not.

The C400 matter is in the details, it's neither fair nor unfair for the C400 owner. it's a detail in his walk of life, he's not going to die because his C400 is gone.To sit and mope that life's not fair is rediculously negative. As long as I'm breathing I'm happy a camper and moving forward. I have little time to worry of what's fair and not fair, or who's right or wrong, I have goals and dreams and far to little time.Life is, infact, fair. Some people do not accept this fact until their last days before death, lets hope you figure it out earlier :).(I found it entertaining how you're calling my opinion inane drivel though, but we can agree that I believe you're spouting the same, and like I was as a child stomping my feat saying life's not fair, I sit here and watch you do the same as an adult........oddly enough)

Then by our own reasoning it was totally fair for some guy to own a C400 and for another to be poor and hungry?I realised early on in life that things were not always fair, it was an important thing to learn.After that I just made sure that in any situation things were stacked as much as possible in my favour, it works :( When I read your post justifying this childs behavior it brought to mind the look on my fathers face. And the way he would smile when I spouted the same type of inane drivel all those years ago.So I read your post and just smiled, as you will in years to come, it happens to all of us at some point.But please don't go out of the front door believing life is fair, it is not.

To imply he's more dangerous than your next-door neighbor... is making stuff up. Zero fact in evidence.

Actually, my next-door-neighbour is a wife-beating asshat who once tried to poison my dog. As a result, he actually is dangerous, and probably not a good moral yardstick, but that's besides the point. Which is that there are quite a few reasons why people aren't supposed to fly an aeroplane without having been trained and licensed to do so, just as there are quite a few rules against waltzing off with other people's property instead of working for a living and contributing to society at large. The fact that he hasn't plowed an aircraft into some innocent people on the ground or in the air is certainly more down to luck than judgement, and without a list of everything he has stolen, and personal statements from all of the victims, it may be impossible to say whether he has or has not hurt someone, psychologically or otherwise, but if nobody on such a list is at the very least ###### off about matters, then I'd be really rather surprised. For all I know, the persons he stole aeroplanes off might be either intolerable scumbags or sainted angels, but that doesn't alter the fact that he's a thief.So imagining that this kid is some kind of iconic warrior against the ills the world has dealt him is frankly, nonsense, and I suspect anyone who has ever had anything of value stolen from them will certainly not be so philanthropic to hold that viewpoint. Such romatic justification of criminal activity is good for an entertaining movie or novel, but when we look a little deeper at such matters in reality, we invariably find that it is anything but romantic or admirable for anyone on the receiving end.Even if that were not so, here's one from a personal standpoint: I agree that in the grand scheme of things, nobody was hurt when my lovely semi-acoustic 1969 Fender Telecaster was stolen from me recently it is true, and I can indeed live without it. But if anyone thinks that is going to make me go all 'zen', pat the person who did that on the head and accept that the world owed them something and this made it okay for them to steal it, then I sincerely hope nobody holds their breath waiting for me to do so. Frankly, I hope that thief gets hit by a bus.This kid is short of a good slap if you want my opinion. If his parents had done that 20 years ago, and in the process given him a moral compass, he'd probably not be in the position he now finds himself. His mother may claim that he has an IQ just short of that of Einstein, but as far as moral standards go, he's falling a long way short of that particular benchmark. When he ends up in jail, he will very soon discover upon meeting those more of his own speed, that such people invariably have little about them to be admired, many of whom were not blessed with such intelligence as he enjoys. And then he'll know exactly how objectionable he himself is.Al

What?

Even if that were not so, here's one from a personal standpoint: I agree that in the grand scheme of things, nobody was hurt when my lovely semi-acoustic 1969 Fender Telecaster was stolen from me recently it is true, and I can indeed live without it. But if anyone thinks that is going to make me go all 'zen', pat the person who did that on the head and accept that the world owed them something and this made it okay for them to steal it, then I sincerely hope nobody holds their breath waiting for me to do so. Frankly, I hope that thief gets hit by a bus.Al

It appears that you're a great person yourself as well. that's a pretty violent remark and wish.The fact of the matter is, the kid didn't hurt anyone. name a person who came forward and said that kid cut me, punched me, threw me the ground - this or that. who'd he hurt?Now that this is established (He's hurt nobody...)Understand that nobody said the kids right, he broke the law he's wrong he's going to jail. That doesn't mean he's a "Horrible thief good riddance to him" though. He's stolen from victims who were already more well off than what they needed, Greedy people themselves those who have contributed to the hard life of others. He tipped the scales for a bit. That's all.

Curious how qualified you are to speak of a persons psychological profile or being, do you practice Psychiatry, or Psychology?

I have a Master's in Clinical Psychology from Corpus Christi State University, which was a pre-requisite for admittance to the Seminary at Seton Hall University.

Excellent,You've well displayed the flippant practice of which is generally seen with psychologists. :( Remarks of a diagnosis in mental illness after reading what the media's told you.That's not the best way to go about things, is it? :(

I have a Master's in Clinical Psychology from Corpus Christi State University, which was a pre-requisite for admittance to the Seminary at Seton Hall University.

Please provide examples of the 'many, many people' who were 'endangered'. Based on all public information regarding this case... there seems to be no endangerment to any individual(s) outside the kid himself.

Ed, it's absolutely no different that the case of an unlicensed, untrained driver stealing an 18 wheeler and attempting to drive cross-country. By that very act, the potential for disaster is present. Legally it's called "reckless disregard" for a very valid reason.At every moment from wheels up to crash, the potential for disaster was present. While the same is true even if the pilot is fully licensed and trained, the potential for harm is significantly reduced because of the training received prior to being tested and licensed.