Knk-rakl
Editor in chief: Laura Cadiz
Editorial Editor: Bret Jacobson
Newsroom: (541)346-5511
Room 300, Erb Memorial Union
P.O. Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403
E-mail: ode@oregon. uoregon.edu
On-line edition: www.dailyemerald.com
Paying the
CONSEQUENCES
After the physical and
emotional harm he
inflicted upon our
community, Kipland
Kinkei owes an
explanation for his
violent behavior
May 21,1998, is a date that none
of us in the Eugene-Springfield
community will soon forget. That
day, our innocence and communi
ty were shattered when gun
wielding 15-year-old Kipland P.
Kinkei walked into Thurston High
School and started a shooting
spree.
And while nothing can repair
the harm the tragedy caused,
Kinkei should serve a long enough
sentence that should let some of
those affected feel some, if even a
little, closure.
The community was spared
having to relive the painful memo
ries a trial would bring up when
Kinkel, 17, pleaded guilty to four
counts of murder and 26 counts of
attempted murder on Sept. 24. He
will now serve four concurrent 25
year sentences for the four murder
pleas and also faces a mandatory
90-month sentence for each at
tempted murder count.
• His sentencing trial will begin
on Nov. 2, when Lane County Cir
cuit Judge Jack Mattison will sen
tence Kinkel anywhere from 25 to
220 years in prison by determin
ing if the murder and attempted
murder sentences will be served at
the same time or after one another.
The only just sentence would be
for Kinkel to serve each attempted
murder count consecutively,
which would total 220 years in
prison. That way, he would be
serving time for each specific vic
tim, and maybe his victims and
their families can have some satis
faction.
Perhaps Kinkel could be reha
bilitated and successfully released
back into society. But he shouldn’t
be let out of prison at age 42, when
most of his victims and their par
ents will still be around to see him
set free. While it’s almost sadden
ing to think of a 17-year-old
spending the rest of his life in
prison, it’s even more saddening
to think that his victims and their
families would have to relive the
tragic events if they were to ever
see him in our community.
In a time where school shootings
don’t seem to surprise anyone any
more, Kinkel must serve as the ex
ample that a person cannot open fire
in a crowded high school cafeteria
and then only face 25 years in prison
as punishment.
Maybe the only real closure would
come from an explanation from
|
Giovanni Salimena Emerald
Kinkel to the community of why he
opened fire in his school’s hallways
and cafeteria, injuring 25 students
and killing two, after he killed his
parents the previous night. Maybe
his answer would give the commu
nity some reassurance that it wasn’t
some random act of violence, and
we could feel assured that we and
our families are safe in school and
don’t have to fear being victims of
random violence.
But the sad reality is that Kinkel
himself probably doesn’t know why
he did it. There probably is no expla
nation that would satisfy anyone for
such senseless violence.
No amount of time that Kinkel
spends in prison will ever heal the
victims’ wounds or bring back
those who died, but it may at least
bring some closure to those who
were so severely impacted by
Kinkel’s selfish shooting rampage.
And while none of us will be able
to wipe the memories away from
that tragic day, knowing that
Kinkel will never again see the
community he tore apart will al
low us to heal together.
Thumbs
To Huckingtlte
Fuskies
As the Ducks take
on the University of
Washington this
weekend, we are
already celebrating
the win we know
they’ll get in Seat
tle.
To ASUO account
ability
The ASUO Execu
tive fired Brandon
Smith as the direc
tor of the Designat
ed Driver Shuttle
for his alleged mis
use of student fees
to run the program.
This is just the type
of leadership we
expect from the
ASUO.
angry, hungry and
confused
An 18 percent cut
of the federal Pell
WehopeCongres|!
so future students
amJ the 3,7 milffon
students who cur
rently depend on
the money can be
guaranteed an edu
cation.
i