State Vs. Kinkle
On May 21st, 1998,15 year old Kipland Kinkle admitted to detectives that he killed his parents and 2 classmates, and was sentenced to 111 years in prison with no option for parole. The day before he was expelled from school. He went to school with $110 in cash and bought a .32 caliber Beretta semiautomatic pistol, loaded with a 9 round clip. He put it in paper sack in his locker. He bought it from a friend, but unbeknownst to Kip, the friend had stolen it from his (the friends) father, Scott Keeney. Keeney called the school to report that the gun was missing and that he thought a friend of his son might have stolen it. He gave the school a list of about a dozen kids he thought might be involved. Kip's name was not on the list, however after Detectives talked with a few kids, Kip was pulled from study hall. He admitted to stealing the gun and was arrested, followed by his expulsion. His father picked him up from the police station, and upon arriving home Kip went to his room, got his .22 caliber rifle and walked down stairs. He went up to his father, who was sitting reading the paper, and fired one shot to the back of his head. He then took his father’s body, dragged it into the bathroom, and covered it with a sheet. A few hours later his mother arrived home. As she was walking up the steps to the house Kip approached her with the rifle. He told her he loved her, and then shot her twice in the back of the head, three times in the face and one time through the heart. He dragged her body across the garage floor and covered her with a sheet. Kip then waited until dawn arrived, and prepared to go to school. Kip dressed in long trench coat. He filled his backpack with ammunition and carried 3 guns: a .22 caliber semiautomatic Ruger rifle, his father's 9mm Glock pistol and a .22 caliber Ruger semiautomatic pistol. He taped a hunting knife to his leg and drove his mother's Ford Explorer to school. He parked one block from the high school and walked down a dirt path, taking a shortcut past the tennis courts and into the back parking lot. School security camera recorded his entrance. He walked down the hallway towards the cafeteria. On the way he shot Ben Walker and Ryan Atteberry, and then fired off what remained of the 50 round clip from a .22 caliber semiautomatic and one round from a 9mm Glock handgun into the cafeteria. By the time Kip was wrestled to ground by five classmates, two students were dead and 25 others were injured. A bunch of kids were on top of Kip on the floor pinning him down. Kinkel was identified as the shooter. Bishop got the other kids off Kip. A student that had been on top of Kip got up and punched Kip in the face. Kip made statements to the effect: "I just want to die." Bishop searched Kip and handcuffed him. Kip was advised of his Miranda rights. Officer Bishop transferred custody of Kip to Detective Jones, the first detective to arrive on the scene. Detective Jones walked Kip to car and secured him there. Kip made no statements to Detective Jones. Soon after, Detective Al Warthen arrived on the scene. He was directed by Jones to take custody of Kip. Warthen locked Kip in an interview room and left the room for a moment. In the time that he was gone, Kip managed, with cuffed hands, to pull out the hunting knife that had been taped to his leg. On the detective's return, Kip rushed at Warthen with the knife, yelling, "Kill me, shoot me." Warthen backed up while Kip continued to charge him with the knife. Warthen got the door to close between Kip and himself; Kip kept pushing against door. Kip went back to the chair and started using the knife near his wrists. Warthen quickly came back in with another detective and sprayed Kip with pepper spray, while the other detective knocked away the knife.
The original plan for Kip's defense lawyers to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. However, much to everyone's surprise 3 days before the trial was set to begin Kip pleaded guilty to all counts
