Feds: School bomb plotter wanted to kill Jesus
FLORENCE, South Carolina (AP) — A teen accused of plotting to blow up his high school told police that he wanted to die, go to heaven and kill Jesus, federal authorities said Tuesday.
Prosecutors argued in a federal courtroom that the statements are an indication that 18-year-old Ryan Schallenberger needs a psychological evaluation.
The straight-A Chesterfield High School senior was arrested April 19 and faces several state and federal charges, including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. That charge carries a possible life sentence if he is convicted.
“His conduct is bizarre,” prosecutor Buddy Bethea told Judge Thomas Rogers III, who did not immediately issue a ruling. “I think it screams out in his conduct that he be evaluated.”
Defense attorney Bill Nettles said the request was premature, and that Schallenberger was competent to help in his defense.
Prosecutors want Schallenberger, currently at Chesterfield County jail, moved to a federal facility because they think he may try to commit suicide. His journal writings have become increasingly violent over the past year, prosecutor Rose Mary Parham said.
An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives testified that the teen told a sheriff he wanted to die after his arrest.
“He said death was better than life,” Craig Townsend said. “He told the sheriff he wanted to die and go to heaven and once he got there, he wanted to kill Jesus.”
Prosecutors also played a 911 tape of the teen’s mother calling police after he smashed his head into a wall two days before his arrest. On the tape, she says her son threatened to shoot police if they came.
“He’s not going to do it,” Laurie Sittler told the operator. “He’s just got a bad temper.”
The teen left but his mother was scared he would return, she said in the call. “He’s planning to go to college and everything, but I don’t know what to do,” she said.
MY HEART REALLY GOES TO THAT YOUNG MAN AND HIS WAY OF THINKING. JESUS DIED ONCE FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD,HE CANNOT DIE A SECOND TIME.THE WAY IT SOUNDS TO ME, THAT YOUNG MAN NEEDS TO TRADE HIS “WAY OF THINKING”, IN FOR A BIBLE AND A GOOD CHURCH….MAY GOD BLESS HIM.
That young man is very disturbed and may be on drugs or something. It may make him worse if they lock him up for life. They will probably put him on more drugs to calm him down. Correctional Institutions cannot help the soul to heal.
No, he doesn’t. He needs to be put in front of a therapist so they can work out his issues, if possible, and make him better. Reading a comic book like the bible isn’t going to do anything more than make it worse. You don’t fix delusions by giving them new ones to believe in.
And, if the docs call for medication, he gets medication. I’m so sick and tired of the whiners in this country complaining about how “everyone’s on some kind of drug”. Know why? BECAUSE IT HELPS! You can’t “fix” everything with simple therapy, there are physical, chemical reasons in the brain people act the way they do. The drugs counter that so they can lead a normal life. The reason you see so many more people on them now than before is simple: they exist now, most didn’t before.
DO IT FAGGOT
that’s not nice
“…including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.”
Seriously? Wow, I salute America.
P.S. I wholly agree with anon.