12-year-old who killed cousin with baseball bat could be tried as adult | |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 304500 United States 01/07/2008 11:53 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | [link to www.wwltv.com] Quoting: mopar28mLAUDERHILL, Fla. -- Prosecutors are reviewing whether a 12-year-old boy should be charged as an adult after police accused him of fatally beating his toddler cousin with a baseball bat for interrupting a cartoon show. The boy, whose name was not released, was being held in juvenile custody in the death of 17-month-old Shaloh Joseph, who police said enraged the suspect by crying while he watched television. The case has powerful similarities to that of Lionel Tate, another 12-year-old, whose killing of a playmate convulsed the legal system in the same county and set off a debate over Florida's tough juvenile laws. Tate was accused in the 1999 murder of a 6-year-old girl. He was convicted as an adult and was believed to have been the youngest person ever sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. Assistant State Attorney Maria Schneider, who is prosecuting the case, said it was impossible not to think of the Tate case, but insisted the little girl's killing would be viewed independently. "Every case has to be viewed on its own merits. Obviously we know what happened with Lionel's case. How could you not?" she said. "Is it ultimately going to affect what happens in this case? Of course not." The boy's public defenders said the case belonged in the juvenile system. "The juvenile justice system is in place for a reason, and juvenile sanctions exist for a reason," said Sandy Perlman, one of the boy's lawyers. The attack happened Friday afternoon, police said, when the suspect was left in charge of his second cousin at the cousin's home. The boy was watching a cartoon -- detectives aren't sure which one -- when the baby started crying. "He became enraged she was interrupting the television," said Lt. Mike Cochran. "It's really sort of surreal." The boy grabbed a wooden baseball bat, police said, and hit the girl multiple times. She was pronounced dead later and was found to have suffered several skull fractures. The young suspect is a seventh-grader who stands 4-foot-11 and weighs just 90 pounds. Another attorney, Gordon Weekes, said he wears braces and is very close to his family. Police say he confessed. "He's trying to hold himself together," Weekes said. The suspect in this case had no prior offenses, according to police, and a Department of Children & Families spokeswoman said that agency had not been involved with either the victim or the suspect. A man who answered the door at the home where the beating allegedly took place said no one wished to comment. A man at an address listed under the name of the boy's mother refused to comment. Police said another child, a 10-year-old, was also left in the boy's care along with the baby, though police have not identified that child's relationship to the victim or suspect. Attorneys for both the prosecution and defense said they were looking into the level of supervision given the suspect. But Schneider said the fact that a 12-year-old was left in charge of two younger children did not sound any immediate alarm. "There are other households where, yes, a 12-year-old is considered responsible enough to babysit a 17-month-old," she said. "I don't think you can just say on its face that is so unreasonable." The suspect was ordered held Sunday for at least 21 days. The case is eerily similar to that of Tate, who was held responsible for beating and stomping to death 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick. Tate's lawyers initially claimed he killed the girl while imitating pro-wrestling moves. An appeals court overturned his first-degree murder conviction in 2004 after determining it wasn't clear whether Tate understood the charges against him. He was freed from prison under a deal in which he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, but violated his probation and was handed a 30-year sentence. Ken Padowitz, the prosecutor in Tate's murder case, empathized with attorneys weighing this case, saying they are "caught between a rock and a hard place" similar to what he experienced. "We found ourselves in a situation of going to a juvenile system that was too lenient and going to the grand jury and risking a first-degree murder charge, which was too harsh." This is a perfect example of what is wrong with our Justice System: It is THE ADULTS who left this child unsupervised with other children who should be prosecuted!! |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 211514 United States 01/08/2008 12:00 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | This is a perfect example of what is wrong with our Justice System: It is THE ADULTS who left this child unsupervised with other children who should be prosecuted!! Quoting: Anonymous Coward 304500Yhe Adults probably will be charged,but that won't excuse the 12 year old. Before you condem the entire justice system you should give it a chance to work.. |
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mopar28m (OP) User ID: 352859 United States 01/09/2008 07:40 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | [link to www.wwltv.com] Quoting: Anonymous Coward 304500LAUDERHILL, Fla. -- Prosecutors are reviewing whether a 12-year-old boy should be charged as an adult after police accused him of fatally beating his toddler cousin with a baseball bat for interrupting a cartoon show. The boy, whose name was not released, was being held in juvenile custody in the death of 17-month-old Shaloh Joseph, who police said enraged the suspect by crying while he watched television. The case has powerful similarities to that of Lionel Tate, another 12-year-old, whose killing of a playmate convulsed the legal system in the same county and set off a debate over Florida's tough juvenile laws. Tate was accused in the 1999 murder of a 6-year-old girl. He was convicted as an adult and was believed to have been the youngest person ever sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. Assistant State Attorney Maria Schneider, who is prosecuting the case, said it was impossible not to think of the Tate case, but insisted the little girl's killing would be viewed independently. "Every case has to be viewed on its own merits. Obviously we know what happened with Lionel's case. How could you not?" she said. "Is it ultimately going to affect what happens in this case? Of course not." The boy's public defenders said the case belonged in the juvenile system. "The juvenile justice system is in place for a reason, and juvenile sanctions exist for a reason," said Sandy Perlman, one of the boy's lawyers. The attack happened Friday afternoon, police said, when the suspect was left in charge of his second cousin at the cousin's home. The boy was watching a cartoon -- detectives aren't sure which one -- when the baby started crying. "He became enraged she was interrupting the television," said Lt. Mike Cochran. "It's really sort of surreal." The boy grabbed a wooden baseball bat, police said, and hit the girl multiple times. She was pronounced dead later and was found to have suffered several skull fractures. The young suspect is a seventh-grader who stands 4-foot-11 and weighs just 90 pounds. Another attorney, Gordon Weekes, said he wears braces and is very close to his family. Police say he confessed. "He's trying to hold himself together," Weekes said. The suspect in this case had no prior offenses, according to police, and a Department of Children & Families spokeswoman said that agency had not been involved with either the victim or the suspect. A man who answered the door at the home where the beating allegedly took place said no one wished to comment. A man at an address listed under the name of the boy's mother refused to comment. Police said another child, a 10-year-old, was also left in the boy's care along with the baby, though police have not identified that child's relationship to the victim or suspect. Attorneys for both the prosecution and defense said they were looking into the level of supervision given the suspect. But Schneider said the fact that a 12-year-old was left in charge of two younger children did not sound any immediate alarm. "There are other households where, yes, a 12-year-old is considered responsible enough to babysit a 17-month-old," she said. "I don't think you can just say on its face that is so unreasonable." The suspect was ordered held Sunday for at least 21 days. The case is eerily similar to that of Tate, who was held responsible for beating and stomping to death 6-year-old Tiffany Eunick. Tate's lawyers initially claimed he killed the girl while imitating pro-wrestling moves. An appeals court overturned his first-degree murder conviction in 2004 after determining it wasn't clear whether Tate understood the charges against him. He was freed from prison under a deal in which he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, but violated his probation and was handed a 30-year sentence. Ken Padowitz, the prosecutor in Tate's murder case, empathized with attorneys weighing this case, saying they are "caught between a rock and a hard place" similar to what he experienced. "We found ourselves in a situation of going to a juvenile system that was too lenient and going to the grand jury and risking a first-degree murder charge, which was too harsh." This is a perfect example of what is wrong with our Justice System: It is THE ADULTS who left this child unsupervised with other children who should be prosecuted!! I was babysitting kids that young & younger when I was 12. vaccinefreehealth blogspot com The risk far outweighs any benefit as the risk will vary from child to child. facebook.com/graphixyourway |
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Shadow Dancer User ID: 287857 United States 01/09/2008 08:09 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Parents who have failed in their primary responsibility Where has this child learned this behavior? From lack of parental supervision to parents expecting a TV to teach their children-who knows??? Even at 6 yrs old I knew better than this. I helped take care of my younger siblings. TV was rarely seen-very little time for that when I was younger. I babysat many children, even 2 toddlers when I was 9-does not mean other children have the same sense or capable parents... many people have children that have no clue how to raise them to adulthood successfully-too many And for those who need help, even fewer get it...all of us are connected, but few sense the threads that tie us together and how far reaching the consequences that come about. Look out for one another and especially the children-for many of them are orphans even with 'adults' or 'parents' in the home Do we need big brother or do we need true neighbors??? All choices have consequences, choose wisely, CHOOSE WISELY. |
ambiguity unlimited User ID: 352848 United States 01/09/2008 08:11 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | the comparison to lionel tate is apt.....both were unsupervised 12 year olds, and both killed because of television....that one homicide involved cartoons, and the other pro wrestling is of no consequence...pro wrestling is formatted for a mindset of around 8 years old, like most cartoons....both young men are black, from ghetto communities, and attended some of the poorest rated schools in the country....sociopathic behavior is not just overlooked, but encouraged by current pop culture pimps,cocaine dealers,gangbangers,and murderers are lifted to the status of iconic figures..... is it any wonder that children raised in these conditions assume sociopathic personalities? this is the example of the "ME" generation that all the parents in this country are raising....beware your offspring folks, time for a change....... |
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13.0.0.0.0 User ID: 376813 Australia 02/19/2008 07:22 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | good. i knew right from wrong when i was 12. Quoting: LSThat's exactly what I was thinking. They should just put a bullet in his head. He's not going to grow up to be anything but a cancer on society. And for the bleeding hearts out there, I have two kids of my own. If it was one of my kids who did something like this I would gladly volunteer to be the one to pull the trigger. Be aware of what you KNOW and what you BELIEVE. Don't ever let what you believe block the path of knowledge, for knowledge is truth. Belief is a temporary crutch at best, and crutches are for disabled people. |
13.0.0.0.0 User ID: 376818 Australia 02/19/2008 07:27 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Obviously, cartoons need to be outlawed Quoting: Shadow DancerNot sure if you're joking there or not, but I grew up with cartoons like Tom and Jerry and that's some of the most violent shit on TV (violence doesn't have to include blood and guts to be violent). I was also desensitised to R-rated horror movies by age 13. Yet I always knew that simply hitting someone - even without a weapon - was a serious thing and not to be taken lightly. Let alone multiple hits with a fucking baseball bat. Be aware of what you KNOW and what you BELIEVE. Don't ever let what you believe block the path of knowledge, for knowledge is truth. Belief is a temporary crutch at best, and crutches are for disabled people. |
13.0.0.0.0 User ID: 376823 Australia 02/19/2008 07:32 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | If you are 12 years old and do not understand that attacking somebody with a wooden club might kill that person, then your parents fucked up big time.... Quoting: Whiskey Brother 315034My parents never once told me "If you hit someone with a baseball bat, you might kill them. So don't do that." There are some things that a walking talking human being is expected to simply KNOW all by themselves. I mean FFS, monkeys know this. Be aware of what you KNOW and what you BELIEVE. Don't ever let what you believe block the path of knowledge, for knowledge is truth. Belief is a temporary crutch at best, and crutches are for disabled people. |
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