While it sucks that your nephew had to go through this in the first place, it is comforting to know that the judicial system does sometimes work.

As someone with a huge trauma in their life once told me me several years after her husband was murdered, "you don't get over it, you just do your best to get past it."

Wow, this is the first I have heard of this and I'm somewhat at a loss for words.

I hope you and your family are able to find some peace as a result of this verdict and that time will lessen the pain. Such a senseless tragedy.

I've got so many layers of feelings about this. First, I hope those assholes rot in hell. The anger than I felt before towards them is alive and well.

Second, Hazzah for the judicial system.

Third, my heart goes out to your nephew. Those thugs rotting in hell will not bring back his abilities that were taken away by these useless thugs.

Fourth, I hope these guys rot in hell.

Yes, it is good to be reminded that sometimes these things work out the way they should. A friend of mine has recently been going through a situation that unfortunately went the other way. She had three friends over, and later in the evening they all go out drinking (but she decides to stay home). Eventually they end up drinking at a local beach, one of the drugs the other two and then beats one of them to death and passes out himself before finishing the beating on the other one. No one knows why he did it and he never had to make an attempt at explanation. He just plead out and got 9.5 years, 80% before he is eligible for parole. So I hope you'll pardon me if I wistfully wish one of the extra life sentences in your case could somehow be shifted over to this one.

I can relate to that hollow feeling you have about the world. Having to go through all of that, things in life that you have chosen not to be a part of be forced upon you.

Your nephew, his mind sounds so positive. I hope he keeps his spirits up and finds his way in whatever path is for him in life. The 'gumption' that people can have when put in such difficult situations can be amazing and certainly put us to shame. He sounds like this sort of person.

I am also glad the court system did their job. I've seen where they almost seem afraid of the gangs and coming down on them.

Alex, that is a horrific story. To know that person will be free so soon...you know, it will happen again. It has been shown over and over again.