Names of Youthful Offenders?/TotallyDecatur Strikes Again

We've discussed Youthful Offender status before, as in the cases of Matthew Fox and Autumn Wood, one 21 at the time of his crime and the other 17. Both cases involved the taking of an innocent life, and both individuals were denied such status. If it had been granted, it would have been for legal purposes only--surely the greatest need or want for each of them. In other words, their names had been published by all news outlets in the Shoals; there was no possibility of anonymity by then. What of Dylan Wayne Mylam's killer?

The killer of Dylan (pictured at right) is only 13, the same age as his victim. Legally there was no doubt as to his status at arrest and of his keeping such. We have to ask: Is this the purpose of the Youthful Offender status?

A young man is driving around with his cousin/older brother/friend when the companion decides to rob a gas station. Does this 15 year-old boy have the mental capacity and/or experience to know to try to escape? To know to make a pretense in order to leave the car? To immediately report the crime? He may well not...and this is the purpose of the Youthful Offender status.

The killer of Dylan Wayne Mylam already had a record of sorts. Yes, frightening isn't it? Does he deserve anonymity?

To be continued tomorrow...

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Did you like the article the online TimesDaily published on the Miss Alabama contest Saturday night? Perhaps you missed it since it was only a few lines? Those few lines listed the names of the local contestants.

Well, sort of. The article listed the names of those from Morgan and Limestone Counties. Miss UNA, Anne-Marie Hall (pictured at left) received nary a mention. Makes you proud to have a local newspaper doesn't it?

Thank you, Anne-Marie, for representing our local university, the Shoals, and your Franklin County home. We at Shoalanda Speaks are proud of you!

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Be sure to catch the weekly local sex offender report in The Connection. This week it's a twofer...

The McCarley Brothers

Shoalanda