Pennington pleads innocent

I think Pennington should pay with his life. How can you plead innocent to something if you turned yourself in?????

(person below me) simply because he feels guilty for what had happened although he was only trying to break the gun to save not only his live but the the man holding the weapon originally, however he was charged with involuntary man-slaughter meaning it wasnt intentional.

youd have to know him to judge him his heart is bigger than your convictoins of mouth.

Anyone that shoots somebody should pay just as well as molesting and vandalism. Good hearts don't go around and shoot someone, molest, and vandalize things. I don't care if they go to church every day and are the nicest people You have ever known. A person just doesn't do this with a good heart. Period! People can stick up for themselves to protect their ego because they have had their heart broken or whatever teh case may be but if its a good person they will forgive and forget and just walk away and move on. Have a good one because this is the real deal.

You say good hearts don't go around shooting people (from "anonymous July 7, 09). Thats a pretty fast assumption when you don't know the details that led up to the shooting. It's evident in your post that you haven't been following this story. Matt does indeed have a good heart. The shooting was no more intentional than any other accident. He did not point the gun with the intention of killing the other. It really is an unfortunate disaster all the way around. Though I do beleive in my heart that Matt is a good man, his actions which resulted in a death must be dealt with accordingly. But know this: Matt is not the criminal type. I would put my own money on the line to guarantee that. I've known Matt and his family for many years so see, I'm not just a poster commenting on what the reporters tell us in the news. I'm a friend of Matts and will continue to be regardless of what happened and what is to come.

If Matt really had a good heart how could he have shoot the gun without the intention of killing someone? I feel he deserves the death penalty or life in prison for taking someones life. He killed someone who had many people who cared for him and now he is gone and is only left in their hearts. The Auglaize County jail did not handle this situation the way it should have been. Matt murdered someone and got 10 years while people who get arrested for robbery and didn't kill or harm anyone are getting 15 or 20 years. I was in the courtroom when Matt was being charged and as he walked in he looked at the man who was murdered loved ones and just smiled and laughed...yeah some heart Matt has. This shows he has no heart. Matt doesn't deserve another chance in the world he should be locked up forever or be given the death penalty.

anonymous 2 from Bluffton, OH:
I do not believe you! You said you were in the courtroom that day and saw that Matt looked at the deceased mans family, smiling and laughing. I wasnt there that day you say he did that but I dont need to be to know better than that! You dont know Matt. I do. He wouldnt have laughed in the face of that family. Do you think he suffers no guilt? You couldnt consider that he smiled at his own family or other loved ones? Did you consider he laughed at something a loved one said to him? Do you think he doesnt need to dig deep to find a reason to smile? Whats wrong with you?

Another poster said a good heart couldnt murder someone. So then that would mean ALL accidental shootings, including children who found a loaded gun to play with, should be given life in prison?

Matt IS innocent in the true fact that he didnt raise that gun to kill that boy. That means no disrespect to the deceased and his family.

However, because he did kill, he will be punished. Dont you worry about how long he'll serve in prison for this but I for one know that its already been too long. Matt is not a murderer. Because of the ignorance of the deceased and his friends arriving on the property where this all happened, a place where the deceased and his friends went intentionally to start a fight, this death happened. What did these kids expect? You go somewhere to fight, a fight will happen. It could have been the other way around. But dont go looking for trouble if you dont want to find it.

For those who dont know Matt, dont bother to publish your comments. The negative comments from posters who dont know shows how uninformed you are.

As far as you, anonomous 2 from Bluffton, if you want the facts, talk to Matt. Dont assume.You are so far from being right that it makes you look like a complete idiot.

As for the family and other friends of Matt, I stand beside you.

As for Matt, you are my friend and I miss you. I love you and pray for you. I will never give up on you, Matt. I pray you come to terms with this terrible, unfortunate accident and come out of prison as good and kind as you were when you entered.

As for the family and friends of the deceased, I stand beside you too. I know you miss him and I know your love will never lessen for him. I pray that you find strength to forgive Matt and understand that Matt didnt want to kill another. He had a gun but he didnt mean to kill this boy. He didnt mean to kill him anymore than any other person who is part of an accidental shooting.

If you want to talk about God, whats right and whats fair, dont judge a single soul. Dont judge Matt.

My heart is with you always, Matt!

A Spencerville friend,
Stephanie

Ok Stephanie if Matt didn't mean to kill why did he pull the trigger? He knew he would have had a high chance of killing someone and that is what he did. Now about the courtroom you weren't there it was quite as the murderer, Matt, walked in, he did laugh and smile like he was proud of what he did at the family and friends. That shows that what he did he wanted to do. Matt should be locked up for way more than 10 years. I know for a fact the family and friends of the young man who was killed wants Matt locked up for life. He should be locked up for life he took someones life so the court should have locked him up for life. I will judge Matt on his actions and everybody who knows Matt wanted to kill will also judge him. You know he is guilty you just do not want to admit that he did mean to kill. Who is he going to kill when he gets out of jail next?

annoymous 2, Mansfield, OH :
#1. Don't come on here acting like you know Matt, that you were there, that you can read his mind. It would be an incredible miracle if you were given just a little time to really know his heart. You'd feel like an ass for making the remarks you did. But your over assuming ego would never allow the truth to be revealed to you.
#2. You are a liar. You said it was quiet in the courtroom as he entered and that he laughed and smiled like he was proud of what he did towards the victims family and friends. UNTRUE! The fact that he just plead innocent proves you wrong. Do you seriously think a person who wants the judge and the jury to see his true self, to see his own anguish, to understand the truth, and to FIND him innocent would enter a courtroom as you say he did?
#3. It makes me sick to hear people like you make the assumption that he will kill again. I'm just an every day Jane like gal over here in Spencerville. I have no reason to take Matts side just for the sake of taking the side of a fellow citizen of the same city. I'm eduated, level headed and always, without a doubt, stand up for what I believe in. I know what I know. I dont speak what I dont know. Matt is innocent of intentional murder and thats final. Matt is not a killer nor is to be feared. Matts heart is as big as gold but you dont know. You dont know anything.
This is a normal kid youre talking about. He doesnt have abnormal psychology. He was raised by two biological parents that raised him well. His parents are good citizens. His siblings are just as normal as the rest of us. Just as normal as Matt. Your assumption that I know he's guilty but cant admit it is just plain silly. I've taken too much time and interest in talking to you. I dont have the time or the interest to just make things up or "stick up" for a person just because.
I understand why the parents of the victim want Matt locked up for life. I refuse to comment against or for this family. My prayers continue to go out for both sides of this tragedy. See, I dont know this family. Therefore I make no assumptions against the victim, et. al.
It is not your duty to judge Matt. You are not a jurer, am I correct? You of course are not the judge sitting behind the bench, right? Naturally if were the judge, you would be sitting here weighing out all the options. You would listen carefully to all facts. As a judge, you would never, ever assume. You are a courtroom guesser. Thats the best that can be said for you.
I wish more of Matts friends were aware of this site and those that do had the balls that I have to actually post my name and location. Youre no different of course, with your annoymous name.
In support of Matt, I hope this site makes it around to all friends and family.