Kip Kinkel Pleads Guilty In Oregon Shootings Abridged Version From a news story by September 25, 1999
On May 20, 1998 Kip Kinkel was suspended from school for bringing a gun. That afternoon he shot his parents at their home. On May 21, 1998, Kip Kinkel brought a rifle to the Thurston High School cafeteria and began shooting at students. On September 25, 1999, Kip Kinkel pleaded guilty to the deaths of his parents and fellow students. His lawyers had planned to claim insanity as a reason for the shootings. Kip met with his sister Kirsten and his aunt before deciding to plead guilty. The guilty plea means that there will not be a jury trial. Kip Kinkel was only 15, a juvenile, when the shootings took place. Because of his age, the death penalty was never an option. Defense experts say a successful insanity plea could have kept Kinkel in a mental hospital and out of prison. But if the insanity plea failed, Kinkel would have spent the rest of his life in jail without any chance of parole. A guilty plea by 17-year-old Kip Kinkel means it's possible he could walk out of prison in as little as 32 years if given the minimum sentence. This makes some people angry. As relatives and survivors of the shootings left the courtroom there were tears, signs of relief, and strong feelings about Kinkel's future. Many of the relatives and victims want Kinkel in jail for the rest of his life. Some people feel sorry for Kinkel and say there is a lot of pressure in high schools. Almost everyone is glad that there will not be a long trial making people remember the bad events. There are some people who think a trial would help people put the events behind them. Someone who doesn't want a trial is Kristen Kinkel, Kip's sister. Her parents were killed in the shootings. In a statement she says, "I am very sad, but relieved. Sad that this day had to even happen. Sad that there are so many innocent victims. Sad that I lost another member of my family. But relieved that the painful memories of those tragic events of 16 months ago will not be revived by a trial" Painful memories that will be revived during what is expected to be a week long sentencing. The sentencing date will be set in early November.
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