Sure, it's a crime and he knew that. That being said, let's not pretend like this is a fully developed adult human who has committed murder. This is a child (legally) who committed fraud. The brain of a 17 year old is still physically developing; the prefrontal cortex isn't fully formed. I can't fathom how you would expect them to have the capacity to fully grasp the consequences of their actions with an issue as complex as this one.
warent|5 years ago