Sue Hartigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: Ark. Mom: Shooting Not Son's Idea > > JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) -- A woman whose 13-year-old son is > accused of killing five people in a school ambush told > Time magazine that the boy ``never meant to hurt > anybody.'' > > Gretchen Woodard said her son, Mitchell Johnson, told > her the March 24 attack that left four young girls and a > teacher dead was planned by Mitchell's alleged > accomplice, 11-year-old Drew Golden. > > Drew asked Mitchell to help him on the bus ride home > from school the day before the shooting, Woodard says in > the issue of the magazine that appears on newsstands > Monday. > > ``Mitch told me he never meant to hurt anybody, and he > didn't take specific aim,'' Mrs. Woodard said. ``He just > meant to scare them, I guess. But then something went > terribly wrong.'' > > Both boys have been charged in juvenile court with five > counts of murder and 10 counts of first-degree battery. > Police say Drew set off the fire alarm and the two boys > opened fire on schoolmates and teachers who filed out of > the building. > > Drew's grandfather, Doug Golden, has said that Mitchell > instigated the attack. Golden said his grandson admitted > firing some shots, but not targeting anyone. > > A message left Sunday at the office of Drew's attorney, > Val Price, was not immediately returned. > > Mitchell has lost weight while confined at the Craighead > County Detention Center, Mrs. Woodard said. He looks > ``thin, sallow and dehydrated, with very dry, cracked > lips. > > ``I begged him to drink,'' but she says he doesn't like > the center's beverage selection of water, milk and, > sometimes, Kool-Aid. > > Mrs. Woodard said both Mitchell and his 11-year-old > brother, Monte, had BB guns and hunter-education cards. > But she said real guns were barred from the family's > mobile home. > > She said Drew never visited her home. > > ``The first time I heard his name was when this all > happened,'' she said. > > Mrs. Woodard said Mitchell had seemed troubled after her > divorce from his father in 1994. But he seemed happier > in recent months, bringing home A's in music, choir and > physical education, and making the football, basketball > and baseball teams at the middle school. > > Just after she heard about the shootings, her youngest > son called her at home. > > ``Mom, you have to come get me,'' Monte said. ``Mitchell > shot some kids.'' -- Two rules in life: 1. Don't tell people everything you know. 2. Subscribe/Unsubscribe, email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the body of the message enter: subscribe/unsubscribe law-issues
