YOUR COMMENTS

I hope all involved receive the death penalty!!! God knows they most certainly deserve it!!!
- Tracy, Milford

People all over this country are devastated every day by criminals. As a member of society we also have an obligation to our neighbors to carry out the punishment. At 18 you are asked to defend and protect our country. I will take the same action to protect my neighbors. Consider what they did in history.
"The AHTA was not a group of vigilantes, who would chase after horse thieves, catch them and hang them from the nearest tree." "Rather, they worked hand in hand with law enforcement, gathered evidence and testified in court to punish horse thieves and other criminals."
- J.E.Holland, New Hampshire

Looks like Autumn is heading for a fall.....
- Terry Banville, Atkinson, NH

The reason for the death penalty is not to deter. It's to inter. That cuts down the recidivism rate to almost nothing.
- Rick, Derry, NH

The more information that comes out in this case, the sicker I feel.
- Kelly, Hooksett

Another genius.. What is wrong with the gene pool in this state?
- Jim, Bedford

If the jury convicts and the sentence is death let me know and I'll start the fund raiser if your ducking the death penalty due to cost.
- Bill, Plymouth

First off, I misread. Autumn was not from Mount Vernon,my mistake, but this article does reveals a well thought out plan. Secondly, Katie, Merrimac, it concerns me that you are defending this mans actions. I hope you are not the type of person who will get caught up in abusive relationships. Autumn had a choice in this matter that would have prevented him from these consequences. “Stripping down” to ensure that the evidence sunk tells me that he was supportive of his friends deeds.
When your inner voice tells you that something is wrong trust your instincts. I have to agree with the other posters here. A twenty year old knows right from wrong. He didn’t have to lie for anyone.
- Kat, Raymond

Katie--you are using pretzel logic--at the very least, Autumn had a RESPONSIBILITY to step forward once 'Stevie' was incarcerated. Let me repeat--RESPONSIBILITY--is that a foreign concept? You need to grow up and stop defending the anti-social tendencies of these people.
- JB, NB, NH

I don't care how much the death penalty costs, and I don't care if it is a deters crime.

The death penalty is a punishment.

I might be wrong, but there has not been one single crime committed by someone that has been executed.
- Billy, Nashua, NH

@Joe, Nashua: that is not true for young offenders.
- Jose H., Manchester, NH

Autumn had no idea of the guys plans to murder someone. It says he knew that they were going to break into someone's house - well Stevie is known for saying he is going to do things to look tough and never does so I am sure that Autumn just assumed it was not true. As for after the attack, I'm not saying that it was right or legal, but imagine if your best friend since you were like 4 came to you telling you what they did and they needed your help. Stevie proved to him that he was capable of murder and if he did not comply he could have been murdered too. Thats a very scary thought at his age. I am not saying that autumn is completely innocent, but he was not involved in the murder and had no knowledge of it before it happened. Your comments about someone you know nothing about just shows how gullible you are to believe everything the media says.
- Katie, Merrimack

Based on what I am reading the choice of the Cates Mount Vernon home appears to be far from a random pick. How convenient to have a buddy in that very town all set up to cover for you.
It is a good friend who will help you move, but it’s a really great friend who will help you move the evidence!
- Kat, Raymond

It may cost more to put someone to death, but it's totally worth it.
- Jim, Manchester

Pathetic child crying. You're gonna grow up real fast now.
What did you think was going to happen to you?
- Annie R.Mellon, Bedford NH

@JM in Milford

Death penalty actually costs more than life in prison.
- Joe, Nashua

@Frank. Actually Saudi Arabia has pretty high crime rates, especially for sex crimes mostly because the victims are generally blamed and therefore often keep silent after being assaulted. In some ways, that country is a rapist's paradise.

There is significant debate as to whether the death penalty acts as a deterrent; in this case the criminals don't seem intelligent enough to have considered the consequences of crime regardless of the penalty. But whatever happens, they should never see daylight again. Home invasions alone are serious enough to warrant a long prison sentence, a planned home invasion/murder is about as horrid a thing as you can do and shows no respect for society whatsoever.
- ZJ, Derry

JMR in Bedford - I completely agree with you. I am a parent of 3 children. 24, 19 & 17 and a single Mom on top of it. Raising a teenager is the most difficult time in parenting. They think they know EVERYTHING and don't need any guidance. They don't see how their bad decision are effecting themselves let alone anyone else. I feel SO bad for the parents of these kids. You try so hard to be good role models, guide them and teach them but come 13 it's all forgotten. Their peers have more of an influence then you do, but in the end, when they're grown (if they make it) the fog clears and they see the reality of life and the mistakes they made. I would know......because I was a kid once and I remember knowing EVERYTHING!!!
- Joanne, Merrimack, NH

I wonder how it must feel when you finally realize that your life is completely and utterly over at the age of 20. he won't get life in prison, sure, but the best 20 years of his life are gone.
- Sam, Portsmouth

Spare us the crocodile tears, Autumn. You "didn't know what to do"? Please. You knew what to do. Your parents and teachers taught you right from wrong. You knew what you were doing was WRONG. Those were your choices, and now you have to live with the pain you have caused to your family and the family of your so-called friends victimized.
- Jay, Manchester

A quick Google search will reveal that the death penalty costs taxpayers substantially more than a sentence of life in prison.
- MH, Barrington

I would like to send my thoughts & prayers to the families, especially the moms & dads, of these 5 young men. I see them sitting in court, and picture my own 18 year old son in that situation. Would I want my son to be put to death, no matter how heinous the crime he committed? No, I would not. I'm sorry for the pain & heartbreak that you are suffering because of your sons' bad decisions....as a mom myself, I know you did the best you could for your children & unfortunately, they reach an age where you don't have total control over their lives anymore. I hope the communities that these boys lived in are supportive of their families, at least - they are suffering, too.
- JMR, Bedford NH

Ever wonder how countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have very little crime. It's because they enforce capital or corporal punishment. Rape, murder, robbery are all dealt the same: Amputation of hands and feet or death. Whats the point of having capital punishment if we don't use it. You want to see people straighten out quickly? Adopt and eye for an eye law.
- Frank, Manchester

The WMUR page has the perfect video....Tough Guy, turned sniveling coward. Too pathetic. The Nashua Telegraph has some good coverage of the court proceedings. "Mommy, I didn't do anything wrong". Oh, Please! No "Honey", Mommy can't fix this. You were involved in a horrific murder. Pay the price for "having a bad day".
- Disgusted, Weare, NH

The little cry baby is going to have a great time in jail. This is what happens when you let your kids hang around with punks. Whats with the grommet in the ear? The jury will love that.
- Jake, Manchester

I feel sorry for the kid, afterall he was crying in court --- NOT!

We need to start making examples of criminals. I'm Christian and all, but Mercy is for God in this case, not man. Go extremely tough on these monsters.
- CJ, Bedford

There will be NO death penalty in this case.

It was not a capitol murder, and there was no sexual assault that happened in the course of this crime.

The most these guys will get is LIFE in prison, living 60-70 years each on OUR tax tab.

We need to change the death penalty statutes in NH, so contact your State Rep. and State Senator, and tell them.
- JM, Milford

NH has a death penalty for a reason hopefully we still remember how to use it. All of the kids who entered the house deserve to pay the ultimate price and if it comes out that this kid knew what was going to happen and did nothing he deserves the same penalty too.
- Joshua, Manchester

The nice thing about 'social media' sites like Twitter, Facebook et al is that they can help authorities 'widen the net.' For all we knew, this was a closed case with four men arrested. But I would bet that some computer forensics helped catch this fifth guy.
- chris, brookline

It's called RESPONSIBILITY kid.
- Jim D, Hillsboro

Hey Savoy, don't worry about what the district court judge has to say. It's not going to matter even half as much as when someday you have to answer to the ultimate judge. Good luck with that.
- Johnny, Manchester

The more I read about this case, the less hope I have for the future.
- Tim, Mont Vernon