Originally Posted by
falways65
Before making such wide assumptions as you all have in this thread why don't you first look to the FACTS of this case.
Quote "Eaton paid a visit to the Des Moines cruising scene, know to locals as the "gay loop". His teen daughter was asleep in his apartment when he brought these two teens to his home and gave them illegal drugs AND alcohol - they were both already intoxicated and he offered them more PLUS drugs.
What kind of parent goes and "cruises" for strangers, picks up two intoxicated young men and then brings them into his home where his child is sleeping??? "Mistakenly fell in with"?? He knew exactly what he was doing - he wanted to have sex with a couple of young men and went looking.
Eaton was a public school teacher. So he goes out at night cruising for strangers to have sex with - offering them alcohol and drugs - and then goes to teach our children the next day?? I'll pass on someone like that teaching my children.
Quote "the two men brutally stabbed Ken Eaton to death." ONE stab wound - read the trial transcripts. One stab wound yet two young men are sentenced to life without parole? Titus didn't stab him. Eaton brought these two strangers into his apartment, offered them alcohol and drugs then went into his bedroom, took his clothes off and came out naked wanting to have sex with these two young men WHILE his teenage daughter slept in her bedroom.
Does everyone on this thread really believe he did not put himself and his daughter's life and/or safety at risk by going out LOOKING for strangers to bring home and drink and do drugs with and his ultimate goal was to have sex with them?
I am NOT saying he deserved to be killed but wouldn't most any reasonable, thinking, morale person THINK a bit before they put themselves AND their child at this kind of risk? A portion of the responsibility goes to these two young men but what about the responsibility of an older mature person, a PARENT, who was also entrusted to educated our children. Do you really believe his behavior was acceptable and appropriate??? Too bad he didn't stay home with his daughter that night OR would have looked for a mature way to look for a partner that did not involve cruising and looking for strangers, giving them alcohol and drugs.
If these two men were "two homophobic, cowardly killer" why did they leave the young teenager daughter untouched asleep in her bed?? They knew she was there. I do not believe and the facts do not prove these two young men were "homophobic, cowardly killers". These were two teenagers out drinking way more than they should have (where did they get all that alcohol?) who were approached by a "mature" adult promising to give them alcohol and illegal drugs and then taking complete strangers into his home. "Cowardly killers" most certainly have killed the daughter too I would think.
An "eye for an eye"?? Really - in our society? I don't think so. If these were two rich young men they would NOT be in prison. It appears the only reason they were labeled "homophobic" was because mr. eaton was gay - pretty circular reasoning.Billy was the one who stabbed him - Mr. Green apparently had been raped as a child by a man - so here he is highly intoxicated, taking drugs and loses control.
I DO think these two young men should have been punished. But life in prison! There was no premeditation - they did not go out with a weapon and plan to kill someone or even rob someone. Look at parole records of people who DO intentionally get a weapon and go looking to kill another person - for money, drugs,personal reasons where they think they have been wronged- they are out in 5 to 15 years - not life in prison. They have been n prison since 1993 - 23 years for something they did when they were not legally adults and also for an act that only one of them actually physically committed.
I can only imagine a young single mother picking up two young men on the street and bringing them into her home with her children and being defended like this. She would be crucified. She would have "got what she deserved", "what a terrible parent - picking up random men for sex and drinking and doing drugs with them".
Read the trail transcripts and then rethink what happened here - it might make you look at this situation a little different. If this would have happened in Texas these two men would have been released YEARS ago. Planned, premeditated murder where the person takes a weapon to the scene and plans to kill don't serve life in Texas or several other states.