In articles such as these, do you believe it is right to quote people without knowing the full truth? When Ashley reads this or her friends read this or when her parents read this, what do you think these people are going to think about Ashley and all the other people you quote in here? I don't think you understand how horrible you made these people feel by including them in an article about someone killing her mom. The first thing they think is that it's their fault. You can't sit here and write these things without thinking first about what's going to happen when you do. Blame drugs, blame Ecstasy, mushrooms, marijuana, whatever you like. But don't sit here and write things and blame people for what happened.
I feel obligated to write this because if this was me, I know exactly how I would feel. I would feel like it's my fault. I just wish that next time, you would think about other people and how it will affect them and their lives.
Kyle Deckman
Leawood
Editor's note: Pitch staff writer Nadia Pflaum spoke directly with Ashley Sosebee and Mark Harvey. Both were aware of the nature of the story and understood that their quotes would be included.
Cast the first stoner: I fail to see the point in some of the writing of this article. The whole attempt to demonize the young girl with the "They don't know what she did last summer" subheadline was very clumsy. The whole part about her drug use was rather ham-handed as well.
Has no one involved with the writing of this story ever experimented thusly? Casting stones doesn't help a story. I don't see any malice of forethought in Esmie Tseng's actions. Nothing that would say she needs to be punished as an adult. I dare say she seems to need psychiatric help more that anything!
In closing, please refrain from publishing ill-thought, confusing stories in the future.
Kevin Lynch
Overland, Missouri
Just a girl: We are doctors, lawyers, business people, educators and housewives who have known Esmie Tseng since elementary school and care deeply about how our community treats children.
Many argue that Esmie committed an adult crime. But according to our society, a 16-year-old is not able to make adult decisions such as voting, buying alcohol or enlisting in the armed forces. In many states, a 16-year-old is considered too young to have sex or even drive a car. A 16-year-old can't even get into an R-rated movie.
Esmie Tseng is a 16-year-old girl who has spent her entire life trying to do the right things. She is an honor-roll student and part of the Blue Valley North High School gifted program and debate team. She spent 10 years studying piano and won top awards at state championships and college scholarships. Anyone who ever had a 10-minute conversation with Esmie knows, as we do, that Esmie is a very special girl.
We don't believe society or Esmie is better served by throwing her into an adult prison. We don't condone what Esmie did, but we understand that Esmie was subjected to intense pressure, stress and unrealistic expectations throughout her childhood. Pressures we cannot even imagine. We believe that everybody has a breaking point. Looking at Esmie, one might truly understand what it means to be driven nuts. There is not one victim in this story; there are two.
We ask our district attorney to keep Esmie's case in the juvenile justice system for one reason: Esmie Tseng is a child. If there was ever a child in the juvenile detention center whose life was worth rehabilitating, this is that girl. For more information about Esmie, see www.esmie.com.
Jacob Horwitz and Friends of Esmie
