Life Term for Teen in Principal's Death

[Martrae]

Aug 3, 1:52 PM (ET)
By TODD RICHMOND

BARABOO, Wis. (AP) - A 16-year-old was sentenced Friday to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the shooting death of his high school principal.

Eric Hainstock was convicted a day earlier of the first-degree intentional homicide of Weston Schools Principal John Klang last September.

Sauk County Circuit Judge Patrick Taggart said Hainstock would be eligible for parole in 30 years. The judge urged the state's Department of Corrections to place Hainstock in a juvenile center.

"I do believe you can be rehabilitated," Taggart told the boy, who showed no emotion as the sentence was read.

Klang's widow, Sue Klang, told the judge during the sentencing hearing that her life is now consumed with "horror, agony, emptiness, despair."

"John was the love of my life. My best friend," she said.

Prosecutors had asked for a life sentence. Prosecutor Pat Barrett argued that Hainstock knew what he was doing when he went to school with guns and ammunition Sept. 29, the morning homecoming was to begin at the school 65 miles northwest of Madison.

Hainstock's attorney, Rhoda Ricciardi, said her client was emotional and immature and never meant to kill Klang. She found him watching the children's cartoon "SpongeBob SquarePants" before his sentencing Friday morning.

"There is very little thought to anything he does," Ricciardi said.

Hainstock's family did not testify at his sentencing. His father, Shawn Hainstock, wept during testimony. He said after the sentencing that his son is not without remorse, as prosecutors had depicted him.

"He's hurting deep inside. He tells me, 'Dad, I don't know how to cry,'" Hainstock said, struggling through tears. "He's not heartless. He's a loving boy."

Life in prison is mandatory in first-degree murder convictions, but judges are allowed to grant parole eligibility dates. Hainstock had waived a pre-sentence investigation.

Hainstock went to school the day of the shooting armed with his father's shotgun and .22 revolver. He brought dozens of extra rounds of ammunition.

A janitor wrestled the shotgun from Hainstock, then a 15-year-old freshman. But the boy evaded teachers, drew the revolver and went down the hall.

He ran into Klang, who tackled him. Hainstock shot Klang three times in the scuffle. Klang managed to disarm Hainstock before another teacher and two students arrived to hold him down.


Poor stupid kid. Anyone wanna bet he commits suicide in prison?

[Tuggan]

poor kid?

i hope he does off himself in prison.

[Zanchief]

Sounds like he needs some serious help. Not sure that's gonna happen though.

[Martrae]

poor kid?

Yes, he's a weak child who's been victimized his whole life. And it's interesting that when he flipped he didn't target the bullies that had been making his life hell but the principal who failed to protect him.

[Narrock]

Some principals are total asstards.

[kaharthemad]

My sympathy begins and ends with the man who died while saving the lives of students.

[ClakarEQ]

My sympathy begins and ends with the man who died while saving the lives of students.

QFT

The kid may have been "damaged" but it doesn't excuse what he did.

[Martrae]

There is no excuse, he screwed up badly...but 30 years minimum is a little harsh for a kid who's not in danger of being a repeat offender.

[ClakarEQ]

There is no excuse, he screwed up badly...but 30 years minimum is a little harsh for a kid who's not in danger of being a repeat offender.

That is a coin toss though, who's to say he wouldn't repeat it?

Some folks just snap, if he's done it once, I would bet statistics would show he'd do it again.

I hear what you're saying though, he is a kid, he will be turned into someting awefull in prison, I do not disagree. It won't take but a few years to corrupt him in prison so even if he scentence was 5 years, he's still screwed.

I also don't agree on any mandatory scentence based on actions. Every crime has unique variables and mandatory scentencing removes appropriate judgement IMO.

[Lyion]

The system failed here. The parents also failed.

[Spazz]

There is no excuse, he screwed up badly...but 30 years minimum is a little harsh for a kid who's not in danger of being a repeat offender.

Are you fucking kidding me. He killed a man and you think 30 years is harsh. Maybe we should all be allowed one major fuck up like that. Id bet if some kid killed your husband 30 years wouldnt be close to enough.

[Martrae]

It wouldn't bring him back and this kid isn't a habitual troublemaker who's been in and out of juvy hall.

There are hardened criminals that have killed multiple people and have been in and out of jail that are doing less time.

[Evermore]

There is no excuse, he screwed up badly...but 30 years minimum is a little harsh for a kid who's not in danger of being a repeat offender.

Are you fucking kidding me. He killed a man and you think 30 years is harsh. Maybe we should all be allowed one major fuck up like that. Id bet if some kid killed your husband 30 years wouldnt be close to enough.

he killed one man and yet there are people out there who have killed thousands....

[Yamori]

Am I missing something or are you guys just inferring a ton of stuff about this kid from thin air?

Unless this kid is severely retarded or very mentally ill or was raised by wolves, I'm not getting where the sympathy is coming from. o_O

[Martrae]

Sorry, Yamori....there was a ton of stuff printed about him during the actual trial about how his dad used to beat him all the time and did stuff like force feed him hot peppers and how the kids at school targeted him but the teachers and principal did nothing.

He also was supposed to be on medications for various stuff but his parents couldn't afford it so he wasn't getting it. It sounds like his parents were retarded since they had to actually have a judge tell them, when he was a baby, that they couldn't take him into a bar.

[kiral]

he's not even 18 and he's going to prison?

[kinghooter00]

fuck him....

[Gaazy]

Life in prison WITH parole isnt harsh enough. Just because he might not be a repeat offender doesnt mean he shouldnt have to pay the price for killing a man. Fuck that, he needs to be in prison just like everyone else that commits that crime.

[Martrae]

Let's put it this way. The adult soldiers that raped that girl in Iraq then murdered her and her entire family are mostly eligible for parole in 5 years. 5 years for killing 4 people and raping a 14 year old. Did I mention these were adult men who knew what they were doing?

But this young teen 'deserves' a harsher punishment in everyone's eyes because he'd been tormented and abused too long and flipped. He's now facing more long years of torment and abuse and all anyone can say is he's not getting punished enough? He was fucking punished his entire life for merely being born.

[Gaazy]

It sucks that he has been treated so bad his entire life for nothing, but he still committed the crime. If we let everyone go that has been tormented their whole lives our prisons would be like half empty

[Martrae]

I never said let him go. He fucked up badly and he does deserve some punishment. But 30 years is too much.

[Gaazy]

Meh, agree to disagree

[Harrison]

What in the fuck?!

You guys are trying to garner sympathy for a fucking murderer?

[Arlos]

There's differences in degree here. YES I have sympathy for an abused kid who had been fucked over from day 1 and was finally pushed to the snapping point when no one reached out to help him. Does it excuse what he did, no, of course not, no one is saying let him off free and clear. But 30 years given his circumstances seems excessively harsh.

Compare that to those soldiers Martrae mentioned. They killed 4 people, raped a 14 year old girl, and then tried to cover it up. They did it just because, no background reasons at all. They can get out in 5 years.... Why the fuck is what that abused kid did 6 times worse than rape + multiple murder?

-Arlos

[10sun]

They didn't kill real people. If the "victims" were white, then maybe it would have made a difference.