State legislation is being proposed to toughen the penalty on juveniles for planning a murder. The bill introduced by Assemblyman James Gallagher is a reaction to the sentencing of two Cottonwood teenagers who plotted an explosives attack on Evergreen School. The attack was averted when an online gamer in another state alerted Tehama County authorities that one of the boys was boasting about the plan. Although both boys were convicted, their sentences were a fraction of what they would have been if they were a few years older. An attempted first degree murder conviction against the 15-year-old led to a 4 year sentence in secure youth treatment. The main conviction on the 14-year-old was conspiracy to commit murder and he was sentenced to 364 days in Juvenile Hall. The increased sentencing bill is supported by Tehama County Sheriff Dave Kain and District Attorney Matt Rogers.
-Steve Gibson