Georgia dad is charged 'after beating a 20-year-old man he found in his 14-year-old daughter's bedroom.

I didn't go to read the story....and details do matter....such as,
was he firing a shot into the air, to frighten or to warn or to signal, to the man never to go near his daughter again?
It's illegal either way. Firing a gun to warn or scare someone is a crime - except in movies.
 

On this topic specifically, my opinion is the law is wrong- because it gives kids the message they can do whatever they want and be held blameless.

On the subject of age in general, though, trends are going in the wrong direction. It's gone back to 'old enough for THIS but not old enough for THAT' that was the way many decades ago, but getting even worse.
Example: states passing laws where minors cannot marry under any circumstances.. yet kids as young as 10, 12, 13, are 'parenting.'
Example: individuals under age 21 cannot buy tobacco or vaping products- yet nothing is done about older people providing young teens with alcohol and illegal drugs.
I'm sure some of the older members here can relate to 'back in the day' when it was 'he's old enough to get drafted, but he's not old enough to vote!'

Also, a work project that came up today- when a 12-year-old intentionally killed a young child, he was set to be tried as an adult. Why would a 12-year-old be considered mature enough and responsible enough for this, while at the same time individuals of 16 or 17 can't marry and 19-20-year olds can't buy cigarettes because they're now considered 'children'???

Back to the OP- if I'd been the parent in that situation, my reaction would not have been pleasant, and that's an understatement. However, I'd not look at it as 'the guy was a criminal and the girl was blameless.'
Turning 18 seems to be the magic number. As far as I am aware of, all states recognize 18 as being an adult. States have the authority to set the age limit for a lot of things like driver’s license, buying cigarettes and beer, etc.

The Supreme Court has ruled that no one under the age of 18 may be executed and also it is now very difficult to get a person under 18 a life sentence. The Menendez Brothers even have a right to ask for a re-sentencing hearing.

Supposedly, it has to do with what age the mind develops and at what age can a person make rational decisions. I remember a case that I studied of a 12 y/o boy (Eric Smith) that killed a 5 y/o boy. Eric is now 30 y/o and IMO, should be released. He didn’t have the best of childhoods, was bullied at school and had no friends. I still follow him.
 
was he firing a shot into the air
s-l1000.jpg
 
Turning 18 seems to be the magic number. As far as I am aware of, all states recognize 18 as being an adult. States have the authority to set the age limit for a lot of things like driver’s license, buying cigarettes and beer, etc.

The Supreme Court has ruled that no one under the age of 18 may be executed and also it is now very difficult to get a person under 18 a life sentence. The Menendez Brothers even have a right to ask for a re-sentencing hearing.

Supposedly, it has to do with what age the mind develops and at what age can a person make rational decisions. I remember a case that I studied of a 12 y/o boy (Eric Smith) that killed a 5 y/o boy. Eric is now 30 y/o and IMO, should be released. He didn’t have the best of childhoods, was bullied at school and had no friends. I still follow him.

States vary in what they consider legal/adult age, but I believe 21 is nationwide for tobacco products now.

Regarding your second and third paragraphs- yes, that's logical.. and my point exactly.. the discrepancies not in the definition of 'adult' but defined differently for different purposes.

https://eji.org/news/13-states-lack-minimum-age-for-trying-kids-as-adults/

Yes, I remember the Eric Smith case (he was 13), but I thought the M. brothers were adults at the time, I might be mistaken.
The point, though, is if kids 12-13 yrs old can be held criminally liable and prosecuted as adults because they're considered responsible for their actions, why would someone like the girl in the OP not be considered responsible for her actions?
I certainly don't approve of situations like the OP, but I don't think considering the girl blameless is the right approach.
 
IMO when/if you find a man in your 14-year-old daughter's bedroom it's too late to do much of anything but accept it, lay down the rules for her behavior in your home, and attempt to point out the possible consequences of her choices.
 
States vary in what they consider legal/adult age, but I believe 21 is nationwide for tobacco products now.

Regarding your second and third paragraphs- yes, that's logical.. and my point exactly.. the discrepancies not in the definition of 'adult' but defined differently for different purposes.

https://eji.org/news/13-states-lack-minimum-age-for-trying-kids-as-adults/

Yes, I remember the Eric Smith case (he was 13), but I thought the M. brothers were adults at the time, I might be mistaken.
The point, though, is if kids 12-13 yrs old can be held criminally liable and prosecuted as adults because they're considered responsible for their actions, why would someone like the girl in the OP not be considered responsible for her actions?
I certainly don't approve of situations like the OP, but I don't think considering the girl blameless is the right approach.
Yes, they were 21 and 18, but if I remember correctly, for some reason, they were allowed to request a new trial or new sentencing based on new evidence. There is a lot of legal mambo-jumbo and maneuvering in this case. I pushed it aside after the conviction.
 
IMO when/if you find a man in your 14-year-old daughter's bedroom it's too late to do much of anything but accept it, lay down the rules for her behavior in your home, and attempt to point out the possible consequences of her choices.
Your mileage may vary. I was kidding about the golf club option, but at the very least I would have the man arrested and, if appropriate, prosecuted for raping a minor. I'm not kidding about that at all.
 

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