Jonesboro Schoolyard shooter convicted again

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rainbowbob

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Mitchell Johnson was arrested on New Year's Day 2007 after police stopped his van and said they found a bag of marijuana in his pocket and a 9-mm pistol and a 20-gauge shotgun in two bags. Police said they stopped the van after getting an anonymous tip about drugs in the vehicle.

In 1998, Johnson, then 13, and 11-year-old schoolmate Andrew Golden opened fire as students and teachers left Jonesboro Westside Middle School after Golden pulled the fire alarm. The boys killed English teacher Shannon Wright and four students ages 11 and 12. They wounded 10 other people.

Government lawyers did not bring up Johnson's violent past. The only clue during the two-day trial came during jury selection, when potential panelists were asked whether Johnson's name sounded familiar.

State courts sent Johnson and Golden to a juvenile prison until their 18th birthdays. Federal prosecutors then got them locked up until they turned 21.

Johnson left prison with an "adjudicated" record, meaning he could own firearms.

Prosecutors in the trial that ended Tuesday presented evidence that Johnson regularly used marijuana.
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I believe in the rights of law-abiding citizens to possess firearms of all kinds. And I believe that otherwise law-abiding citizens should be free to ingest whatever they want. However, I also believe there should be restrictions on criminals possessing firearms.

How is it possible this scum-bag punk could legally posses a firearm after killing five people and wounding ten? And does anyone believe it is reasonable that he should? The person that grew the pot he was smoking could do more time than he did - and forever lose his right to possess a firearm in the bargain. But this murderer is free to legally have a gun.

What is wrong with this picture?
 
This has always amazed me too, the Jonesboro case I always found interesting due to the very young ages of the perps. The wikipedia pages on these two are kind of interesting.
 
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