In today’s topsy-turvy world of justice, where upside down is often considered right-side up, we find yet another baffling case that leaves law-abiding citizens scratching their heads. It turns out that a young teen, who joined forces in a heinous carjacking that ended with the tragic death of an innocent man, is facing a sentence that many would argue is merely a slap on the wrist. Just imagine, a life ended violently and abruptly, and yet, the most significant time served will not be much longer than the blink of an eye in terms of real justice.

The scene could hardly be more horrifying. The innocent man, an Uber Eats driver named Mohammad Anwar, was ejected from a car during a carjacking and landed on the sidewalk. He later died at a hospital from his injuries, with the tragic events caught on camera for the world to witness. In their youthful recklessness, the two girls commandeered a vehicle and left chaos and heartbreak in their wake. Such is the wretched end of a man whose only crime was being at the wrong place at the wrong time. And yet, the courtroom provides a surreal twist—a claim that impulsivity is to blame. Seriously?

For the feeble moral compass of modern legal defenses, this teenager’s lawyer suggests that her remorse and newfound thoughtfulness, post-tragedy, somehow warrant a mere three more years of detention. One has to wonder how thoughtful murder can truly be. A stern reprimand for impulse control issues; how forward-thinking! Apparently, society’s solution is to patiently wait it out until this minor reaches adulthood, sending her back into the world with merely a six-year pause for contemplation.

Now, consider the implications here. Are youthful transgressions so easily forgiven when they result in such irreversible consequences? A 6-year sentence is hardly comparable to the life sentence dealt to Anwar’s family—an eternal burden of loss and grief. It’s time to ask when personal responsibility stopped being the sacred foundation of justice and was replaced with excuses like “youthful indiscretion.” This isn’t youthful hijinks; it’s a matter of life and death.

In this case, justice has taken a back seat, allowing leniency under the guise of modern judicial empathy to overshadow real accountability. It’s high time to remember that actions, especially such grave ones, undeniably have weight and consequence. Society cannot afford to lower the bar for responsibility, treating severe crimes as mere coming-of-age foibles. The stakes are high, and the cost of such leniency is paid by innocent lives. Maybe it’s time to reconsider the guiding principles of our justice system if we hope to honor those who suffer at the hands of such callous actions.