Boy, 14, faces prosecution as adult

[Police Moderator]

Thursday, May 14, 2009 , 12:00 a.m.
Boy, 14, may faces prosecution as adult in girl’s slaying
By: Monica Mercer

On April 28, the 14-year-old defendant’s MySpace page showed a picture of him and the 3-year-old victim sitting together. It indicated he last logged in on April 22, a day before his arrest in connection with the girl’s rape and slaying. His profile read, “What now just dont (sic) know any more.” He listed his residence as a “crack house near u” and used an expletive to describe his mood.

Today’s first hearing for a 14-year-old accused of raping and killing a 3-year-old girl could signal the start of a process to determine if he should be tried as an adult, according to juvenile court officials.

Hamilton County Juvenile Court director George B. LeNoir said that in serious juvenile cases, the critical decision by a juvenile court judge can determine a teen’s chance of rehabilitation among peers or the possibility of years of incarceration with adult felons.

The decision to prosecute a young teen as an adult is one of the few within the Tennessee legal system that cannot be reversed through an appeals process, Mr. LeNoir said.

times free press

[Bryan Stone]

good! I remember being 14,... and i knew the difference b/t right and wrong

he's stealing perfectly good oxygen from me

throw the book

[el Gusano]

Come on, he's just a child! You can't really expect a 14 year old to know the difference between right and wrong, can you? </sarcasm>

[zodiacman]

When I was 14 I do admit that there were some moral complexities that escaped me, I did know you weren't supposed to rape and murder 3 year olds. Leathally inject the little bastard!

[mikeydokey]

What about the little girls mother and grandmother, they were both in jail on drug charges when the killing took place, shouldn't they both face charges sharing responsibilty?

[Kordax]

How many times has the 14-year old been "referred" to juvie before? Since it's officially secret, I'll guess he's been in the juvenile system 25 times already and that this rape was predictable based on his priors....