What if E/D survived?

Obviously their plan was to kill themselves or die at the hands of the police, but what if they had somehow been knocked unconscious in the library and when they woke up they were already in handcuffs?

How different do you think things would be as far as giving us answers to so many questions?

I often wondered, if they survived, if the police would have released The Basement Tapes?

I think that many of the questions would be without an answer just like right now, because in the end their deaths don't change anything, probably they would answer something but not everything and I think that even the basement tapes wouldnt be release either, the only that would maybe change are how infamous they are and how some people see them and think about them

From death row, Eric would have kept sharing his ideas through letters to his pen pals and prison interviews. One day, after taking a bad beating, he would have discovered buddhism. He would then have recanted his views and explained through an essay in Shambala Sun magazine (later reprinted in Oprah magazine) how he was misdirected as a youth and now want to help homicidal-suicidal youth through discussions on philosophy and buddhism. His hair would recede and thin out considerably until comes the time when he is given a lethal injection. His last words would be ''I hope the afterlife is like a dream state but, then, maybe real life is the dream state and if I clap with one hand, I will wake up.''

From death row, Dylan would attempt suicide but be rescued at the last minute. A female pen pal touched by his plight would turn out to be his one great love, forever supportive. He would be changed by her uncompromising dedication and see the falsehood of his younger self's ideas and actions. He would write a play on his experience, performed across schools all over the nation. After many years of habeas corpus procedures, a published book and a movie (not to mention his play), his one great love, now his wife, would see him put to death by lethal injection.

Dylan would not have been given the death penalty. He was only 17 years old and in America, no one under the age of 18 can be given the death penalty.

Jenn wrote:

Dylan would not have been given the death penalty. He was only 17 years old and in America, no one under the age of 18 can be given the death penalty.

It's been done, though: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

But then, Dylan would probably have got good lawyers and escape this fate.

JayJay wrote:

Jenn wrote:

Dylan would not have been given the death penalty. He was only 17 years old and in America, no one under the age of 18 can be given the death penalty.

It's been done, though: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

But then, Dylan would probably have got good lawyers and escape this fate.

Yes, that is true, it has been done BUT when the United States brought the death penalty back in 1976 each state had its own minimum age in which someone could be executed. While some states, down south, such as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Carolina and a few other allowed the death penalty to minors, the minimum age for execution in Colorado was 18.

However, in 2005, the minimum age for execution in any state in the US was raised to 18. So, if Dylan had lived in another state, say Texas, then he could have been executed at the age of 17 but since he lived in Colorado, where the minimum age for execution was 18, he wouldn't have gotten the death penalty.

But, say that Dylan and Eric were both 18 and both received the death penalty, chances are very slim that they would be executed any time soon because since Colorado reinstated the death penalty in 1976, they have only executed one inmate and that was in 1997.

This is how I understood it when I read about executions of minors in the US. Unless I am mistaken and Colorado did not raise their minimum age of execution until 2005, which I am almost certain this rule was set in 1976, then yes, Dylan could have received the death penalty. However, I don't think I misread it.

Here is a map of the United States showing the minimum age of execution BEFORE it was changed in 2005. You can see that Colorado's minimum age has always been 18.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Jenn wrote:

JayJay wrote:

Jenn wrote:

Dylan would not have been given the death penalty. He was only 17 years old and in America, no one under the age of 18 can be given the death penalty.

It's been done, though: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

But then, Dylan would probably have got good lawyers and escape this fate.

Yes, that is true, it has been done BUT when the United States brought the death penalty back in 1976 each state had its own minimum age in which someone could be executed. While some states, down south, such as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Carolina and a few other allowed the death penalty to minors, the minimum age for execution in Colorado was 18.

However, in 2005, the minimum age for execution in any state in the US was raised to 18. So, if Dylan had lived in another state, say Texas, then he could have been executed at the age of 17 but since he lived in Colorado, where the minimum age for execution was 18, he wouldn't have gotten the death penalty.

But, say that Dylan and Eric were both 18 and both received the death penalty, chances are very slim that they would be executed any time soon because since Colorado reinstated the death penalty in 1976, they have only executed one inmate and that was in 1997.

This is how I understood it when I read about executions of minors in the US. Unless I am mistaken and Colorado did not raise their minimum age of execution until 2005, which I am almost certain this rule was set in 1976, then yes, Dylan could have received the death penalty. However, I don't think I misread it.

Here is a map of the United States showing the minimum age of execution BEFORE it was changed in 2005. You can see that Colorado's minimum age has always been 18.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Nice one.

Jenn wrote:

JayJay wrote:

Jenn wrote:

Dylan would not have been given the death penalty. He was only 17 years old and in America, no one under the age of 18 can be given the death penalty.

It's been done, though: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

But then, Dylan would probably have got good lawyers and escape this fate.

Yes, that is true, it has been done BUT when the United States brought the death penalty back in 1976 each state had its own minimum age in which someone could be executed. While some states, down south, such as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, South Carolina and a few other allowed the death penalty to minors, the minimum age for execution in Colorado was 18.

However, in 2005, the minimum age for execution in any state in the US was raised to 18. So, if Dylan had lived in another state, say Texas, then he could have been executed at the age of 17 but since he lived in Colorado, where the minimum age for execution was 18, he wouldn't have gotten the death penalty.

But, say that Dylan and Eric were both 18 and both received the death penalty, chances are very slim that they would be executed any time soon because since Colorado reinstated the death penalty in 1976, they have only executed one inmate and that was in 1997.

This is how I understood it when I read about executions of minors in the US. Unless I am mistaken and Colorado did not raise their minimum age of execution until 2005, which I am almost certain this rule was set in 1976, then yes, Dylan could have received the death penalty. However, I don't think I misread it.

Here is a map of the United States showing the minimum age of execution BEFORE it was changed in 2005. You can see that Colorado's minimum age has always been 18.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

That's a thorough analysis.

So, Dylan would have kept on living with his one big love on the other side of the prison walls and maybe we would write him letters in prison.

I like what JayJay wrote hahahaha I imagine Eric into buddhism and I dont know why I laugh so much with that picture in my mind even though I really like buddhism. And now I would really like to see those two alive because is posible that all would happen and maybe with Dylan we would have some answers in his performances or letters and with Eric too. But I also see in my mind how a lot of groupies go to the jail to try to be with them and I can see them married with some girls like are some famous serial killers.

Mj2beat wrote:

I like what JayJay wrote hahahaha I imagine Eric into buddhism and I dont know why I laugh so much with that picture in my mind even though I really like buddhism. And now I would really like to see those two alive because is posible that all would happen and maybe with Dylan we would have some answers in his performances or letters and with Eric too. But I also see in my mind how a lot of groupies go to the jail to try to be with them and I can see them married with some girls like are some famous serial killers.

Thanks, Mj2beat!

I think Eric could have gotten into Buddhism because with certain forms of buddhism the belief in a god is not needed and it goes well with existential philosophies similar to what he agreed with.

It was just a tongue-in-cheek portrait of what could have been but yes, I agree with you, they would have just as many groupies as they have now and just as many people talking about them.  

JayJay wrote:

From death row, Eric would have kept sharing his ideas through letters to his pen pals and prison interviews. One day, after taking a bad beating, he would have discovered buddhism. He would then have recanted his views and explained through an essay in Shambala Sun magazine (later reprinted in Oprah magazine) how he was misdirected as a youth and now want to help homicidal-suicidal youth through discussions on philosophy and buddhism. His hair would recede and thin out considerably until comes the time when he is given a lethal injection. His last words would be ''I hope the afterlife is like a dream state but, then, maybe real life is the dream state and if I clap with one hand, I will wake up.''

From death row, Dylan would attempt suicide but be rescued at the last minute. A female pen pal touched by his plight would turn out to be his one great love, forever supportive. He would be changed by her uncompromising dedication and see the falsehood of his younger self's ideas and actions. He would write a play on his experience, performed across schools all over the nation. After many years of habeas corpus procedures, a published book and a movie (not to mention his play), his one great love, now his wife, would see him put to death by lethal injection.

This is my favorite!