Teen Guilty In Bomb Case

[Officer Unfriendly]

I do not believe anything about this case.

Another one suckered into a plea deal.

[STR]

another parent wrote:

Frank is not a bad kid. He does need counseling, which I can assure you does not happen in any depth in prison. If the Newington parents who responded see that he needs help, not the useless time spent incarcerated, maybe they know him better than the rest of us. Once again, the "justice" system has a decision to make -- don't blow it again.

He's not a bad kid, he just wanted to kill his classmates and then himself. Perfectly normal. Nothing wrong with that.

[ftec]

Form my understanding he didnt set a bomb off that killed anyone? Intent is not the same as doing the crime.

Plus who knows how strong these supposed bombs were. A can of gas is considered a bomb but it wont take a building down from the explosion.

Judging from posts about any crime I get the feeling that Americans would settle for no less that mass exicutions for all criminals.My what a demented society we have become. Thats the direction of a NO MORALS society we have become. Learn your History of Social values and where they lead societys.

[Newington High parent]

STR wrote:

<quoted text>
He's not a bad kid, he just wanted to kill his classmates and then himself. Perfectly normal. Nothing wrong with that.

So glad Wethersfield does not have these problems. Back when I went to WHS there were always bomb scares and there was even a stabbing at the school. If anything this opened the eyes of Newington residents and they are doing something about the problems of bullying in schools. Can Wethersfield say the same?

[Karen O]

Konnecticut_Better_Yet wrote:

<quoted text>
A problem with bullying? Nooooo. The legislature was Very Serious about bullying, and enacted the legislation drawn up by the pop group Peter, Paul and Mary, remember? Surely it couldn't have been bullying. And we gave Very Strict Laws on bringing Guns onto school grounds and a certain distance from school grounds. I don't remember exactly when that was enacted, but it was right before all the school shootings started.
So yeah, lets count on the government to do something about this. Yeeesh.

I was talking about parents, teachers and school administration. They are the ones who need to step in and stop the bullying. Many parents don't think their kids bully. Many teachers just walk away. A "good kid" from a "good home" would never bully anyone. Yeah, right.

[Esteban]

Gary wrote:

<quoted text>
Another Democrat steps up to the podium...

While I agree adults guilty of violent offences should be locked up a long time I still think bill has a point. We are too quick to lock up minors and people guilty of non violent offences and really need to make better use of alternatives. Prisons are overcrowded and the culture within them makes hard core criminals out of the otherwise simply misguided. Work programs or military service should be standard along with counseling are amoung the options which the courts need to consider particularly for young offenders.

[B the change u want 2C in]

There's a tremendous amount of denial represented in many of the posts here.
This young man had a very well-planned plot to kill the School Resource Office, 20+ students, and himself.
He had shotguns, semi-automatic weapons, a diagram of what he'd be wearing, what guns were to be strapped/stored where on his person, and an entire route planned out.
This wasn't a dream or some teenage fantasy, borne out of video games or TV violence.
This young man shot ammo in his basement, not just out in the woods setting off explosives some of you are hesitant to call bombs. Those explosives could injure, maim, or kill. What's wrong with you, thinking any PART of this was ok?
He was going to wreak havoc on a community, take the lives of our students, officer(s), teachers and/or administrators, and the evidence of it was overwhelming. Do you think we could EVER have healed from that?
The problem is that these issues aren't "just" a school problem. This is a wide-spread problem in our community, and in the world today. Anyone who thinks their town is immune from what ails society today is in total denial.
Newington needs to stay riled up about this incident, and what it reflects about society today. And Newington needs to act. Each individual needs to take action.
Where was the community the night the town forum on bullying took place? Only 6 months ago, the community was up in arms about this young man's plot, and was very vocal about the way people treat one another. Bullying, poor parenting, and a "colonial" community were all issues raised at April's forum. Have we forgotten how we felt and what we believed so passionately about only 6 months ago? Are we too busy to act? Perhaps this is contributing to the changes we see in society. We are too busy expecting others to fix things FOR us.
What are each of US doing to change this community?
These issues exist in our neighborhoods, on the athletic fields, in the town center, and everywhere, not just in the schools. And these issues are hardly just youth-based issues. We all know adults who belittle and bully. Neighbors, community leaders, coaches, etc. I am sure we can all think of a few adults who fall into this category.
Do we accept their behavior?
Step up, people. Voicing your concerns here is a start, but let's get out there and act!

[Joshua]

Did dad ever wonder where his guns were or did he allow his sons to keep the guns in his closet to make room for a new suit from Burlington Coat Factory?

[Joshua]

Isn't Newington a borough of New Britain? Looks shabby. Newington, New Britain, Norwich. All begin with N, all dingy and shabby. More corporate business, less strip clubs and adult video stores.

[Atticus]

Esteban wrote:

<quoted text>
Prisons are overcrowded and the culture within them makes hard core criminals out of the otherwise simply misguided. Work programs or military service should be standard along with counseling are amoung the options which the courts need to consider particularly for young offenders.

I agree wholeheartedly with this post. And you need only look to the Cheshire tragedy to find evidence of it.

The younger villain, Joshua, went into Connecticut prison as a cat burglar and came out a murderer, rapist and arsonist. The article about him was chilling in his account of prison: he was a little guy that no one took seriously. He bragged about being labelled a "cold, calculating predator" and he YEARNED for a more impressive reputation. Well, he got it now: he's one of the biggest monsters this state has ever seen. And he's, undoubtedly, proud. I won't go as far to say that Connecticut Corrections are to blame, but the fact is he went in as a non-violent offender and came out as a violent one. Hardly the poster child for the effectiveness of Connecticut's approach to "rehabilitation." Maybe he's just a monster that was going to do this anyways, but we'll never know now.

[Newington High parent]

B the change u want 2C in wrote:

There's a tremendous amount of denial represented in many of the posts here.
This young man had a very well-planned plot to kill the School Resource Office, 20+ students, and himself.
He had shotguns, semi-automatic weapons, a diagram of what he'd be wearing, what guns were to be strapped/stored where on his person, and an entire route planned out.
This wasn't a dream or some teenage fantasy, borne out of video games or TV violence.
This young man shot ammo in his basement, not just out in the woods setting off explosives some of you are hesitant to call bombs. Those explosives could injure, maim, or kill. What's wrong with you, thinking any PART of this was ok?
He was going to wreak havoc on a community, take the lives of our students, officer(s), teachers and/or administrators, and the evidence of it was overwhelming. Do you think we could EVER have healed from that?
The problem is that these issues aren't "just" a school problem. This is a wide-spread problem in our community, and in the world today. Anyone who thinks their town is immune from what ails society today is in total denial.
Newington needs to stay riled up about this incident, and what it reflects about society today. And Newington needs to act. Each individual needs to take action.
Where was the community the night the town forum on bullying took place? Only 6 months ago, the community was up in arms about this young man's plot, and was very vocal about the way people treat one another. Bullying, poor parenting, and a "colonial" community were all issues raised at April's forum. Have we forgotten how we felt and what we believed so passionately about only 6 months ago? Are we too busy to act? Perhaps this is contributing to the changes we see in society. We are too busy expecting others to fix things FOR us.
What are each of US doing to change this community?
These issues exist in our neighborhoods, on the athletic fields, in the town center, and everywhere, not just in the schools. And these issues are hardly just youth-based issues. We all know adults who belittle and bully. Neighbors, community leaders, coaches, etc. I am sure we can all think of a few adults who fall into this category.
Do we accept their behavior?
Step up, people. Voicing your concerns here is a start, but let's get out there and act!

The reason not to many people went to the bullying seminar was it was not advertised. Kids got it in their backpacks after the event.

The town, the schools and his parents have all failed him. Now the judical system is going to fail him. This child needs help, not prison. What is scary is how far along his plan got without the school and his parents knowing about it. Where was the head of school security when all this was happening? What about the SRO's? The parents were clueless and so was the school and NPD. There were complaints about the "bombs" going off at the Relay Radio all summer and nothing was done about it. Yes what he did was wrong, but sending him to prison is not going to help. He needs to get the correct help.

[High School Parent]

He can get help WHILE in prison. Anything less than that is permission for him to come out and do it again..and he will. A sick mind like that doesnt go away. It festers.

[Yankee]

Get Real wrote:

the anger that some kids are capable of is unreal.
where are they learning this stuff?

Ask the Newington BOE (SUPER)? Perlini, what DUMAS he is.

[Frank]

This. is frank fechteler and first off id like to apologize to all of the people i victemized, their families and the entire newington community. THeir are a lot of people out their that think a man will never change, i beg to differ because i am a man who has changed. I deeply regret all the pain, trauma, and chaos i have caused. I was in prison for 2 years and 7 months. surrounded by gangs, violence, and in an environment that did not give me the help or treatment i needed. It seemed as if the judge figured doing a little prison time would "fix" me. instead it gave me insight into criminals and the criminal world. It most certainly did not offer ME rehabilitative services, that seemed essential. The way i changed is because prison gave me time to mature and collect my thoughts. Their are countless people, good people even, that will never ever again be out on the street. People even make wrong choices without thinking them through, Anger, frustration, addiction are emotions that can push anyone to the edge. My friend alex is serving 45 years for murder and he was only 16 years old at the time. When I look at him all i see is a life wasted. A life with absolutly nothing to live for, Their is a never ending hole of despair, frustration, and lonlyness when your behind bars. And it never ends until you finally leave. Some people just use this time and get more angry and pissed off. Some people think it through and try to make changes in their lives. I d'ont want to spend my life in prison or in the graveyard. But it's up to me on deciding what i want to do. I was a young, immature, stupid kid who had way to much time on his hands. A combination of being depressed and doing a lot of drugs changed me. I'm a bigger man now than I was in the past. THeir is only one direection to look in now and that's forward. Their are always gonna be obstacles in life. Their are always people you don't like, but its all just part of life. Their was a time were i didnt give a crap about anyone or anything but those days are behind me now, because now im actually trying to do something with my life. It's been a really rough and rocky road for me so far, but hopefully it will smooth out. I do NOT have the capability or the balls to do what im accused of. whether you believe me or not is up to you. I've definantly messed things up for me, But im trying to fix them. I hope everyone can move on with their lives and so will I. Again, i apologize to everyone.

-Frank

[ouch]

Frank wrote:

This. is frank fechteler and first off id like to apologize to all of the people i victemized, their families and the entire newington community. THeir are a lot of people out their that think a man will never change, i beg to differ because i am a man who has changed. I deeply regret all the pain, trauma, and chaos i have caused. I was in prison for 2 years and 7 months. surrounded by gangs, violence, and in an environment that did not give me the help or treatment i needed. It seemed as if the judge figured doing a little prison time would "fix" me. instead it gave me insight into criminals and the criminal world. It most certainly did not offer ME rehabilitative services, that seemed essential. The way i changed is because prison gave me time to mature and collect my thoughts. Their are countless people, good people even, that will never ever again be out on the street. People even make wrong choices without thinking them through, Anger, frustration, addiction are emotions that can push anyone to the edge. My friend alex is serving 45 years for murder and he was only 16 years old at the time. When I look at him all i see is a life wasted. A life with absolutly nothing to live for, Their is a never ending hole of despair, frustration, and lonlyness when your behind bars. And it never ends until you finally leave. Some people just use this time and get more angry and pissed off. Some people think it through and try to make changes in their lives. I d'ont want to spend my life in prison or in the graveyard. But it's up to me on deciding what i want to do. I was a young, immature, stupid kid who had way to much time on his hands. A combination of being depressed and doing a lot of drugs changed me. I'm a bigger man now than I was in the past. THeir is only one direection to look in now and that's forward. Their are always gonna be obstacles in life. Their are always people you don't like, but its all just part of life. Their was a time were i didnt give a crap about anyone or anything but those days are behind me now, because now im actually trying to do something with my life. It's been a really rough and rocky road for me so far, but hopefully it will smooth out. I do NOT have the capability or the balls to do what im accused of. whether you believe me or not is up to you. I've definantly messed things up for me, But im trying to fix them. I hope everyone can move on with their lives and so will I. Again, i apologize to everyone.
-Frank

Keep the Faith ! One door closes and another opens