In October, when the Appeal covered the plea deal for David Scott Killen, who shot out more than 20 windows on Feb. 12 in Carson City, one shop manager who had to replace a $7,000 window offered optimistically: "I hope he learned something this time around."
Turns out that Killen learned nothing - at least if the new charges against him prove to be true - other than maybe crime does pay,
Yes, Killen, the man who recklessly shot out all those windows before turning his air rifle on a woman in a car in Douglas County, is in jail again, this time on a $50,000 bail that we all ought to hope he has no chance of paying. Even before the window shooting incident, he served time for felony arson, so he's not new to the world of crime.
Many people, including the judge in the case, thought Killen was getting off light for the window shootings by being offered a plea deal that reduced the charges to a gross misdemeanor, for which he is to be sentenced in January. One reason for the leniency was so he could raise money to pay off the thousands of dollars in damage he caused. Could that have been what he was up to Sunday morning?
It doesn't appear the "learning a lesson" statement from the shop owner panned out in this case, but it appears happily likely a statement made by another victimized shop owner at that time will: "We just hope karma catches the guy."
For the sake of all of Killen's victims and potential victims, let's hope that karma, and a tough prosecution effort, keeps him off the streets for as long as possible.
•This editorial represents the views of the Nevada Appeal editorial board