Kirstin Lobato Research Paper

Teenagers typically go through the rebellious phase growing up. This tends to involve discovering who you are, use of drugs and alcohol, taking stupid risks, a knack for adventure and a desire for independence (Psychology Today). Kirstin Lobato fitted into that category. She grew up in Panaca, Nevada, a very small populated town of approximately 700 people. Most of the people in Panaca were strict Mormons, and that caused her to stand out, making it hard for her to fit in. At the age of 15, Kirstin did the unthinkable, when she pulled out a knife on another student. Her troublesome ways had led to her being removed from her high school, getting on juvenile probation and being transferred to an alternative education program. Once she graduated from high school, she left the small-scale town and headed for Las Vegas for a fresh start, an adventure perhaps. One careless teen’s life was changed after on a dark morning back in July of 2001. On July 8th, 2001, a 44 year old African American homeless man by the name of Duran Bailey died between the hours of 4:30am …show more content…
Kirstin had the opportunity to take a plea deal for manslaughter which would’ve led to her getting sentenced 3 years tops. Kirstin declined the offer because she felt that it wouldn’t be right for her plead guilty to a crime she never committed. (Sherrer) There were 6 prongs to the trial; each prong explained what part Kirstin played in Duran Bailey’s murder. These prongs including: the murder weapon, the assaults being the same type of assault, methods/arguments based on how the murder took place, a witness testimony, a prosecution, and an explanation on how Bailey’s injuries could’ve been caused by someone like Lobato. On July 2nd 2002, Kirstin was convicted for first degree murder. That conviction was appealed and led to a second trial. In 2006, Lobato was convicted for voluntary manslaughter, and sexual penetration of a corpse. She was sentenced for approximately 13-35