Nate-Brazill--Sentenced-to-Grow---Up-in-Prison

1报刊选读之校园生活之校园枪击事件及后续报道NateBrazill,SentencedtoGrowUpinPrison1.TheFloridateengets28yearsforshootinghisteacher.OnlytimewilltellifthejudgewasharshenoughBYTIMROCHE2.After14-year-oldNathanielBrazillwasconvictedofsecond-degreemurderinMayfortheshootingdeathofhisfavoriteteacher,herodebacktothePalmBeachCountyJailinsilence.Triedasanadult,hehadfacedthepossibilityofbeingfoundguiltyofMurderOne.Ashestrodeintothe12th-floorcellhesharedwithotheryouthsaccusedofviolentcrimes,theFloridateenagercouldhardlyimaginethelifeinprisonawaitinghimwhenthejudgeeventuallysentencedhim.Whatup,Nate?theothersgreetedhim.SawyouonTV.Couldadoneworse.Helaidonhisbunk,cryingaloneinhiscell.Laterthatnight,theotherscrowdedaroundtheTVtowatchanepisodeofLaw&Order.Itwasaboutaschoolshooting,capturedonvideo,acasejustlikehis.Natecouldnotstayandwatch.Heretreatedtohiscell.3.OnFridaymorning,NategulpedsilentlyasCircuitJudgeRichardWennetfinallydeterminedhisfate:Insteadoflifeinprison,Natewillserve28years,followedbyanothersevenyearsofhousearrestandprobation.Hisjailbuddieswererightagain—hecould'vedonealotworse.ProsecutorsandrelativesofteacherBarryGrunowhadaskedthejudgetoimprisonhimfortherestofhislife.Or,atleast,for40years.4.Talktoschoolteachersaboutthesentence,andyoucanunderstandwhytheyfeelNategotofflucky.Murderismurder,theysay.Hadhekilledapoliceofficer,anotherpublicservant,thereislittledoubtthathewouldhavereceivedlife.With29schoolemployeeskilledviolentlyonthejobsince1992,theNationalEducationAssociationisnowofferinghomicideinsurancetothe2.6-millionmembersoftheunion.Talktothefamilyoftheslainteacher,andyoucanunderstandwhytheydonotwanttobewalkingdownthestreetsomedayandbumpintothekilleroftheirlovedone.5.Still,thequestionremainswhethertheseventh-graderdeservedmoreorless.ThejudgemayhaveorderedhimtogethisGEDandtakeanger-managementcoursesinprison,butcanNatebeproperlyrehabilitatedgrowingupinside?Howmuchshouldhesufferforonefatalmistake?Hehadbeenanhonorstudent.Hehadbeenmildmanneredandlikeable,thekindofkidwhomteachersandprincipalsreliedupontohelpsettleschoolyarddisputes.Helovedschool,andhelovedBarryGrunow.6.OnthelastdayofschoolinMay2000,Natewassenthomeearlybecausehehadbeenthrowingwaterballoons.Hewastoldtoleaveschool,beforehehadachancetosaygoodbyestoteenagerDinoraRosales,hisfirstseriousgirlfriendwhoonlysixdaysearlierhadgivenhimhisfirstkiss.Fuming,hewenthome,gotagunbelongingtohisgrandfatherandreturnedtotheschool,wherehestoodoutsideGrunow?sclassroomanddemandedtoseehisgirlfriend.Grunowdidnottakehimseriouslyenough,sohecockedthegun.Thenhefiredonebullet,whichstruckGrunowinthehead.Ashisfavoriteteacherlaydying,Nateran.7.InaninterviewwithTIMEbeforethejuryconvictedhiminMay,Natesaidhedidnotintendtopullthetrigger.Itjusthappened.Afterward,hesaid,Ijustfeltlikejumpingintothelakeanddrowningmyself.Iwasdisappointed.Disappointedinmyself.8.Athisemotionalsentencinghearingthisweek,Natereadastatementasdefenselawyerstriedtopersuadethejudgetosparehimlifeinprison.WordscannotreallyexplainhowsorryIam,Natetoldthejudge,butthey'reallIhave.Hismother,PollyPowell,blamedherselfforthetragicturninherson'slife.WhilehemayhavebeenanA-studentatschool,hewassurroundedbydomesticabuseandalcoholismathome.Shenevermadegoodchoicesinmen,shesaid.Thecopshadgonetothefamily'shousefivetimesondomesticviolencecalls.Justmonthsbeforetheshooting,Powellalsowasdiagnosedwithbreastcancer.Idon'tknowwhathappenedwithmy2baby,Powelltoldthejudge.Weneedtosearchourselvesashumanbeingsandseehowcanwejustthrowawaykidslikethis.9.Theteacher'swidow,PamGrunow,cametothesentencinghearing,carryingaquiltmadebyherhusband'sstudents.Shetoldthejudge,Maybetomorrow,anotherwoman'shusband,anotherlittleboy'sdaddyandanothergreatteacherwon'tbesacrificedinanangry,crazymoment.10.Asforotherteenagegunmenwhohavebeenincarceratedafterschoolrampages,theyreceivedvaryingdegreesofpunishment,servingeverythingfromtwoyearstomultiplelifesentences.The28yearshandeddowninNate'scasefallsinthemiddle.11.Hewillgetcreditforthe428dayshehasservedawaitingtheoutcomeofhistrial.Already,themonthsofconfinementinanadultcountyjailhavehardenedNate.Ithasforcedhimtoturninwardinaseeminglycallused,sullenanduncaringway.Teacherswhoseehimnowcannotbelievehowmuchhehaschanged.Healsohasgrown;thepubertythatnodoubthelpeddrivemanyofhisactionsthatfatefulday,fromhisdecisiontoarriveatschoolwithflowersforasweethearttohispointingthegunatGrunow,havemadeNatelarger,broaderacrosstheshoulder,hisvoicedeeper.Henolongerlookslikeachild.12．Evenat14,Natestilldoesnotseetheworldlikeanadult.Adultinmatescanoftenrecalleverydetailofacrimeevenyearsafterward.Someday,Nateislikelytobeservingasentenceforacrimethathasrecededlikeanychildhoodmemory.Mostpeople,bythetimetheyreachtheir40s,wouldhavetroublerememberingthenamesofseventh-gradeteachers.Thirtyyearsfromnow,Nateprobablywon'trememberwhatBarryGrunow'sfacelookedlike.Butnodoubthewillrememberthename.NationalBriefing|South:Florida:CourtUpholdsBoy'sSentenceAstateappealscourtupheldthesecond-degreemurderconvictionofa16-year-oldboywhofatallyshothisEnglishteacheronthelastdayofschoolthreeyearsago.TheFourthDi