Icy winds blasted a dozen women and teenaged girls standing outside the Harford County Circuit Courthouse in Bel Air Friday morning who wrestled with poster board signs as they called out to passing motorists, rewarded by the occasional honk of support.
The group consisted of friends and supporters of Robert Richardson III, 17, a Bel Air teenager charged as an adult with first-degree murder in the January 2011 shooting death of his father at their home. Since his arrest, Richardson has been held without bail for nearly 14 months at the Harford County Detention Center.
Friday’s demonstration came ahead of a motions hearing in Richardson’s case, and was the latest organized by a group which seeks to have his case—and Richardson himself—moved back into the juvenile criminal justice system.
At the hearing itself, the case appeared to take another turn when defense attorneys for Richardson intimated that two other juvenile witnesses may have “been involved” in the crime, but stopped short of describing either their role in the alleged killing, or their knowledge of it.
Despite the blustery, chilly weather, one of the group’s organizers, Eileen Siple, said she believed efforts like Friday’s demonstration have warmed public opinion toward Richardson’s circumstances and could boost efforts to rewrite Maryland law governing the handling of juvenile offenders.
“The winds are changing,” she said. “I think people are starting to understand that it’s not okay to treat children as adults.”
According to police, Richardson told investigators that he shot his father, Robert C. Richardson Jr., 58, at their Bel Air home on Jan. 9, 2012 before dumping the body in an Aberdeen pond and leading officers on a chase through residential portions of Bel Air. The chase ended when Richardson crashed the family truck in the parking lot of the Bel Air United Methodist Church and fled on foot to a nearby community, where he was taken into custody.
Under state law, a juvenile charged with first-degree murder must be tried as an adult and, while awaiting trial, cannot be detained in a juvenile facility. It is those requirements to which Siple’s group and others object, saying they deny Richardson and other juveniles charged as adults access to critical needs such as education and therapy which could help rehabilitate the offenders.
Among those who have been drawn to Richardson’s case are Kara Aanenson and Rashad Hawkins, members of the Just Kids Partnership, a Baltimore-based group which seeks reform in how juveniles are handled in the criminal justice system. The group has sponsored a bill currently before the Maryland General Assembly which would allow juveniles charged as adults to be detained in juvenile facilities while awaiting trial.
“A kid ends up in an adult facility solely based on their age and offense,” Aanenson said. “It doesn’t look at the whole child.”
A study conducted by Just Kids followed 135 cases in Baltimore City in which juveniles were charged as adults. The group found that 68 percent of the youths had their cases transferred back to the juvenile system or dismissed outright, and that 10 percent of the youths were ever sentenced to serve a prison sentence in an adult facility. But the study also found that a juvenile offender will wait almost five months for a hearing to determine whether their case will be sent back to the juvenile system.
Richardson’s case has likewise drawn out, with a trial date postponed from July to January, and again to May 14. The delay was due in part to a change in his defense team, as Baltimore lawyer Marc Snyder initially agreed in January to represent the youth pro bono, but turned the case over to the state public defender’s office late last year, saying his planned defense had become too expensive.
The change, according to Siple, was hard for Richardson.
“It was difficult for him to swallow, especially difficult to swallow the reasons behind it,” she said. “He has not been able to trust a lot of people in his life.”
Richardson is now represented by Stefanie McArdle and Kay Beehler of the Aggravated Homicide Division of the state public defender’s office, who in their defense have also sought to establish new precedents in the juvenile justice system.
“This case really illuminates the problem with the state of the law,” said Beehler.
McArdle and Beehler filed two motions on Friday which, along with another motion filed last week, seek court rulings which would override the state laws setting Richardson’s circumstances. Their motions ask the court to transfer Richardson to a juvenile facility; to declare the mandatory penalties for his first-degree murder and weapon charge unconstitutional; and to declare as unconstitutional the trying of 16-year-olds as adults in first-degree murder cases.
At the motions hearing before Judge Stephen M. Waldron, Richardson’s defense attempted to iron out several issues with prosecutors led by Assistant State’s Attorney Diane Tobin. In a motion, McArdle and Beehler sought certain notes and audio tapes from the initial investigation, materials Tobin said would be made available without issue.
But McArdle raised a new issue in the case, seeking the full juvenile and school-related offense records of two juvenile witnesses in the case, and claiming that the lead detective in the case threatened one of the youths following an altercation at their alternative-education school.
Tobin claimed that the state’s attorney’s office did not have the juvenile or school records, and Waldron directed Richardson’s lawyers to seek the materials from the Harford County Board of Education and the state Department of Juvenile Services.
Of the threat made by the detective, McArdle was cagey following the hearing, saying only that one of the youths was “beat up” at his school by a third party, possibly as a result of bringing an application for a search warrant of the juvenile’s home to school. McArdle said the detective made the threat to the other youth, but would not detail exactly what the threat was.
In court, McArdle also alluded to the two other juveniles having “been involved” in the crime, saying that they could have been charged along with Richardson, but were not. McArdle did not specify and would not later comment on whether their role was in the alleged murder itself, or in having had prior knowledge that it would occur and not acting on that information.
Questioned by McArdle, Tobin said the two witnesses had not been offered immunity for their cooperation.
here we go again. Would they be doing this for any other child who murdered a parent. they come out of the wood work when he is in jail, but where were they when he needed help. Lets see if the people here profess their undying support for this murderer and bet there is no justice of his father. When he is convicted, all these people will fade away and he can go down the road and live a life with other murderers.
Murder is not the crime of a juvenile.
Perhaps, but intentionally killing another human being is certainly carried out by juveniles. Thus, they are charged as adults.
then what would you call it when he murdered his father. Oppppppss sorry dad.
The crime of an adult.
I see where you are going with this…agreed!
a human being murdering another human being
The law is the law. He broke the law and now he needs to face the consequences. If you don’t want a 16 year old to be charged, as an adult, for murder then change the law.
“Icy winds blasted a dozen women and teenaged girls standing outside the Harford County Circuit Courthouse in Bel Air Friday morning who wrestled with poster board signs as they called out to passing motorists, rewarded by the occasional honk of support.”
Were schools closed friday morning?
I support the efforts of changing the law for Juvenile offenders, the system is broke..I have worked with,studied,volunteer for CASA. been a mentor for at risk youth and am a single mother who raised 3 children of my own alone while attending college and working full-time. I too had some of the same experiences as Robert did.I understand why Robert did what he did..EVERYONE responds to traumatic events differently..was it wrong YES, but the ones who do not know the facts of his case or how his father would physically abuse,neglect him on a daily basis since he was young boy,more-so after his mother died. This young man tired many times to reach out for help the entire Social Services system failed him, his school system failed him so did everyone whom we us adults are told are in place to help those and others like him…they all failed him!!…he was left to defend for himself the best way he could after years of abuse..he snapped!..ONLY GOD has the right to sit in judgement of our actions..NOT YOU!…shame on you
The justice system is not broken. This man will have his day in court and as a result of the evidence presented he will get what he deserves.
The Maryland Court System will judge Bobby. God has the final say at the end. If DSS and the school system failed him, then they need to be accountable, BUT I have dealt with DSS and they do their job. You may have been a CASA worker and seen how the system helps children. Guess you weren’t that good as a CASA worker. There are plenty of hard working DSS and CASA so please don’t paint the whole agency with a broad brush. They didn’t tell Bobby to kill his father.
sorry you felt I slighted the DSS,but havta call it as it is. I do volunteer as a CASA here in my current state of NC . I studied Juvenile Delinquency in college among other things. I have a very extensive knowledge of children and adult behaviors. I personally never had any need or cases in the DSS , Maryland. I’m merely going by has been reported by the group leaders of this young mans page and what has already been reported in the media and by those who knew him ..
If you live and work in NC why are you interferring on a local blog? I’d just as soon you meddle in your own state. Could care less what you think especially given you don’t live here.
What bearing does that have on this topic??
MONEY TREE ..lol good name for you..such a low life bully
MEDIA is Public.I have followed the young mans story and the promote change when such an event occurs and laws need to be changed.
you sound just like Terry Handler..lmao the ousted corrupted old local Bel Air town official such an A**”be off with you before someone throws a house on you too!!!! bahhhhhaaaa
I’m assuming you’re off your meds or that might have made some sense. Go promote your change elsewhere. Surely there’s a kid in NC that you can obsess over.
Actually no, Circuit Court judges have the right to sit in judgment. And hopefully they’ll judge him worthy to be confined for many years to come.
those who grow up under a Cherry Tree will not be able to understand..I get that. There are many laws in place that need to be changed. One being how Juveniles are treated in the justice system..is all I’m replying too..he was wrong for what he did,but that does not mean he should not get the treatment hes legally entitled too as that child when he committed the crime..When anyone suffers a traumatic event their emotional level is stuck in that time frame until they get proper mental health counseling/treatment to learn to process whats they have done and what has been done to them..Only then can they move forward to the age appropriate level..This young man has not gotten any mental health help EVER..so his rational emotional level is that of the child he was the moment his abuse started before he killed his father..I’m in favor of him and all others like him to get the professional help hes entitled too while hes in jail..and why is he not out on a bail or bond? We all know the longer hes in jail with the adults and other hard criminals hes so too learning from them and becoming more like them..YES he killed his father. hes not denied that..ya know there is a law in place called,”Crime of Passion” so why is that allowed? they are adults and kill over an emotional situation just as well as this young man did and they are NOT CHARGED with Murder…please explain that stupid law
It is amazing how presumption of innocence mean absolutely NOTHING to so many posters here — at least when it concerns a minor.
You are advocating the NEEDLESS abuse of a child — denial of education and months spent in isolation — based merely on an accusation. That is the same logic used to justify lynching, that is torture and murder of people, including children, suspected of a crime.
The moment you justify needless abuse and endangerment of a child by the state on the grounds that some charge is likely true, that very moment you throw the constitution out of a window.
Has he been denied access to educational materials, or are you just assuming he has?
Mere access to GRE guides is not education.
Prisoners in administrative segregation aren’t able to interact with other prisoners, and a one-on-one tutor is very expensive. If he were in school, he would be reading history books and classic novels during his regular classes and for homework each night, so why can’t he do the same now?
What should we presume he is innocent of? Perhaps you missed the part where he confessed to the murder ….
Presumption of innocence is a LEGAL principle, Peggysue. You can subjectively decide he is likely guilty of something, but the government has NO RIGHT to use presumption of guilt to justify any unnecessary harm or endangerment.
The government is not presuming that he is guilty. That’s why he is getting a trial, and presumably why he is pleading not guilty even though he has confessed.
The government is inflicting needless harm and endangerment on a minor; posters here justify this by presuming the minor guilty of a crime. That, however, is not a valid defense for a government that adheres to the principle of legal presumption of innocence.
Why is it that something so simple is so difficult for some of the posters here.
Being in segregation protects him from the adult prisoners, and the juveniles from an accused murderer. Murder carries with it very high standards to meet for bail, if a judge even allows the possibility at all, we’re not talking unpaid parking tickets here, there’s a body in the ground.
Ahhhh…. he said he put a gun to his fathers head, pulled the trigger then drove his body to a lake and threw it in.
Yea maybe you are right and he didn’t do it……
Didacticus, I hope your reply was not intended toward my comment..if so then this would be my reply to such..
Who is presuming him as innocent on this charge? Not him..Not me..
I merely am infuriated and frustrated with the Juvenile Justice system..or lack of Justice within that so called system..thus it needs to change..
Janet, my comment was intended for those who, unlike you, presume him to be guilty of murder and then use that to justify whatever abuse is inflicted on the teen prior to trial.
thanks..I wanted to be sure of who your statement was director towards..they is no denying of the FACTS, to which some posters DO NOT HAVE..there is a young lady on HLN show for the pass 4 weeks who also admitted to murdering her bf,( although she is an adult)and she now is on trial, her defense has claimed it was “self defense”…this is a very interesting case indeed, but the point of this whole debate here as you well know was about the much needed change in the Juvenile Justice System..I think some may have lost site of that issue and got caught up in the murder part. God is the only one who does sit in Judgement of Man, Judges sit in judgement of man in the criminal system which needs changing. Just like with the times of change now..Our society has changed so our laws should as well..= BROKEN
As people do not seem entirely clear on this, let me clarify what presumption of innocence means in LEGAL context. It means that the state is NOT allowed to justify any needless harm or endangerment by presuming the person guilty prior to trial (or a similar due process).
You may, rightly or wrongly, conclude the kid is guilty of something — but the moment you use that opinion as justification for any harm or endangerment of the minor by the state, you are negating the LEGAL presumption of innocence that is one of the foundations of our country.
Just how should the state be handling this situation, given the fact that the man has said he killed his father?
Janet and Didacticus sound like they want him free until his trial. Maybe they can put him up for a few months. Just keep your bedroom door locked at night.
And when janet and didacticus put him up waiting for trial just remember 1 thing.
Do not ever raise your voice at him, he doesn’t like that.
what an idiot comment to make..Did you think of that all by your self today while you sat alone in your one bedroom apt twiddling your thumbs??
Please!
Watch the name calling, people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones – especially when they watch HLN News all day.
Hey Didacticus,
“As people do not seem entirely clear on this, let me clarify what presumption of innocence means in LEGAL context. It means that the state is NOT allowed to justify any needless harm or endangerment by presuming the person guilty prior to trial (or a similar due process).” – Actually, presumption of innocence, in the legal context, is the fundamental right that a person may not be convicted of a crime unless the government proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, without any burden placed on the accused to prove innocence. The presumption of innocence does not deal with harm or endangerment. You may be talking about cruel or unusual punishment; however, even if that is what you are talking about, there really isn’t any of that occurring either. He is being protected while awaiting trial.
“You may, rightly or wrongly, conclude the kid is guilty of something — ” – With an admission, I think we all know the conclusion… however, he is still innocent until proven guilty.
“but the moment you use that opinion as justification for any harm or endangerment of the minor by the state,” – He is being protected from harm and endangerment by being in segregation.
“you are negating the LEGAL presumption of innocence that is one of the foundations of our country.” – He was denied bail, which is based on a number of factors, which the courts have repeatedly said is in line with the constitution.
Anyways, have a nice day.
The kid should remain in a juvenile facility while awaiting trial. If necessary, he should be separated from the more vulnerable kids while unsupervised (e.g. classify bedroom assignments by reasonable safety concerns) — but only if this is a decision by an impartial administrator or a judge (not a biased prosecutor). He should receive educational and psychological services equivalent to those any child his age is entitled to while in the care of the state.
If he’s being segregated from all other prisoners (as a murderer should be from juveniles, and as a <18yo should be from adult prisoners), what does it matter if he's in an adult facility or a juvenile one? He's still isolated from contact with anyone but the guards.
And people keep in mind killing does not equal murderer. It can be justified, or manslaughter, or inculpable. Besides self-defense, imagine a dad sexually abuses a mentally manipulates his son for years and then starts to abuse his much younger brother. If the son snaps, is it really (first-degree) murder?
Yes, maybe the dad was a saint and the son is utterly evil. We will not know until trial, anything till then is just speculation.
Note that the accused has not been charged with manslaughter, just first and second degree murder (plus a firearm violation).
you need to stick to the facts. He allegedly killed his father and is charged with first degree murder and is in the Harford Hilton. He is charged with a handgun violation. Bringing up the fact that his brother was sexually abused is absurd. I think you need to check the facts….oh and he is right where he needs to beeeeeee. He murdered his father and tried to hide the body. He may have had a rough childhood, but so have I and I didn’t murder my father.
Millions of children have had a rough childhood and didn’t murder their parent. This young man certainly deserves his day in court, and he will have it. His case will be decided as have all of the others before him. If the evidence presented establishes his situation as something special, then it will be considered as all evidence is. The key word here is evidence, not public speculation about the circumstances regarding this case. At the end of the day, he will get what he deserves. That’s the way it works.
this conversation is about:Under state law, a juvenile charged with first-degree murder must be tried as an adult and, while awaiting trial, cannot be detained in a juvenile facility. It is those requirements to which Siple’s group and others object, saying they deny Richardson and other juveniles charged as adults access to critical needs such as education and therapy which could help rehabilitate the offenders.
WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT HIS GUILT, but the need to bring about changes to the OLD way of the Juvenile Justice laws..he was NOT 18@ the time of the crime: .When anyone suffers a traumatic event their emotional level is stuck in that time frame until they get proper mental health counseling/treatment to learn to process whats they have done and what has been done to them..Only then can they move forward to the age appropriate level.. that is a FACT! This young man has not gotten any mental health help EVER..so his rational emotional level is that of the child he was the moment his abuse started before he killed his father..I’m in favor of him and all others like him to get the professional help hes entitled too while hes in jail..
Please educate yourselves to the facts surrounding his issue..depending on his defense team and level of understanding of his life up to that moment thats what will be brought up in his trail..
Janet,
If you are not talking about guilt, would you be OK with this man having a school teacher sent into the Detention Center to continue his schooling along with mental health services (already provided in the HCDC). Is it your position that he be found guilty of murder, sentenced to prison, but provided schooling and mental health services along the way?
Janet,
I fully support your right to petition to have the law changed. That’s what democracy is about. I’m not saying that I agree one way or another; I have no vested interest in this particular case and the general public does not yet know all the facts, as you’ve mentioned. I do, however, have an issue with your speculation about how the mind works. You clumsily state: “When anyone suffers a traumatic event their emotional level is stuck in that time frame until they get proper mental health counseling/treatment to learn to process whats they have done and what has been done to them…” This is simply not true, barring HUGE, detrimental mental deficiency (if Robert had such deficiency, he would not have been able to function in a typical high school setting). I’m not saying it’s impossible, just extremely unlikely, even in cases of abuse. The mere fact that he attempted to hide the body is evidence that he knew he had done something wrong (prior to receiving any kind of counseling to help him understand that he’d done something wrong). As a practicing psychiatrist, it is extremely frustrating to see comments like this that simply aren’t true.
Buggles? really why do you hide your real identity??..YES, I state Facts and its not clumsy statement..Its a fact! “When anyone suffers a traumatic event their emotional level is stuck in that time frame until they get proper mental health counseling/treatment to learn to process whats they have done and what has been done to them…” I do hold B.S. degree in this field. WE are not here decide his fate.ONLY to increase awareness for change in the Juvenile law system which I also have extensive knowledge about.YOU? His function in public school was sketchy at best..Even a 2 yr old will try to hide something they have done if they know it was wrong,bad,or not approved of..give me a break. This young man has not gotten any mental health help EVER..so his rational emotional level is that of the child he was the moment his abuse started before he killed his father..I’m in favor of him and all others like him to get the professional help hes entitled too while hes in jail…I don’t think you practice at anything except typing..
Indeed your BS degree is obvious. Again, but out you don’t live here so aren’t there some windmills you can stalk in NC.
your right, I no longer live there. I grew up in those areas.I moved here in 2008. What bearing does that have on this topic??
MEDIA is Public.I have followed the young mans story and the promote change when such an event occurs and laws need to be changed.
love how these very opinionated people will hide behind the fake id’s so no one knows who they really are, it says so much about your real character..if your so ashamed of your own opinions why have one..lmao!..I’m done with this blog..most of you seem to be focused on NOT the topic @ hand ,more-so on his guilt something WE cannot change
Janet,
Most people on here do not use their real names. If I posted my real name, you could easily Google it and find my office address. Not something I want to worry about people on a site like this gaining access to. To be clear, when I said “clumsily,” I was referring to your shoddy spelling/grammar. I’ve had to re-read several of your posts in order to understand them.
Please show me where I claimed to have extensive knowledge about the juvenile law system. In re-reading my post, I do not see where I made any such claim. I also did not say that I was not in favor of Robert getting professional help. Please don’t put words in my mouth. Perhaps you already realize that in order to become a Psychiatrist, you have to go to medical school and then complete a four year residency. So I DO know a thing or two about how the mind works and about mental and emotional disorders. And it most certainly does NOT work as you allegedly learned it; unless you got your degree in the 1800s.
Either way, there is really no need to get defensive and argumentative. Obviously, I am all for Robert receiving the mental health services that he needs and is entitled to. As stated quite clearly in my original post, I support your right to petition for a change in the law. I was only pointing out that your claim is inaccurate. You are clearly quite invested in this topic based on the number of posts you have made as well as the fact that you seem to be getting quite upset, so I’m sure you will do everything possible to be successful in your quest to have the law changed.
Buggles:
who cares to Google your name for anything..sorry you live in fear from others..you must have had that happen before. I don’t live in fear of my own words or thoughts or convictions.
so sorry you have mis -read my postings..I did NOT say that YOU had the extensive knowledge, I said, I DID. I have not put words in your mouth as you want to call it..I copy, paste what I have said, so slow your roll and put your glasses on and read EACH of my postings slowly..
When anyone suffers a traumatic event their emotional level is stuck in that time frame until they get proper mental health counseling/treatment to learn to process whats they have done and what has been done to them..Only then can they move forward to the age appropriate level..This young man has not gotten any mental health help EVER..so his rational emotional level is that of the child he was the moment his abuse started before he killed his father..I’m in favor of him and all others like him to get the professional help hes entitled too while hes in jail. We all know the longer hes in jail with the adults and other hard criminals hes so too learning from them and becoming more like them..YES he killed his father. hes not denied that. there is a law in place called,”Crime of Passion” so why is that allowed? these are adults who kill over an emotional situation just as well as this young man did and they are NOT CHARGED with Murder ,but charged with a “Crime of Passion”…and set free or time served, please explain that stupid law?
You are right I will do whatever I can from my position in life to make a change where I see its needed not just this one…this little blog and the negative comments do not deter me..Everyone has a voice and and the USA is a Democracy. I do get intense about my passions whatever they are..FYI 2004 BS. Psychology and Human Behaviors. this has been a very informative blog,glad its public ..thank you all..
Janet… I hope you never have to experience some whack job suddenly taking an interest in contacting you outside this forum.
To say it is disturbing is an understatement.
And work on your English, especially your capitalization and your contractions.
Hey Janet,
Actually, in Maryland there is no crime called crime of passion.
A homicide which would typically be a murder may be reduced to a voluntary manslaughter charge because of heat of passion. Basically, it is murder that is mitigated because of certain factors, such as heat of passion or an imperfect necessity based defense..
For heat of passion to occur, there needs to be a “hot blooded response to legally adequate provocation (spousal adultery, violent battery, mutual affray, or illegal arrest) without sufficient time to cool off”.
The defendant will need to prove the heat of passion occurred, and if not, it would be murder.
Anyways, have a nice day.
Buggles: sorry this was copy pasted..this statement below notice the placement of the punctuation….most importantly since you missed it before: after the word, about and after the word, you ? to which means Do you have any?
WE are not here decide his fate.ONLY to increase awareness for change in the Juvenile law system which I also have extensive knowledge about.YOU?
Mike: this child, does deserve to be able to get the mental health he has never gotten..Im not sure they would allow a school teacher into the Adult jail,but if they did, Yes I’d say he should have one. the mental health care they get @ the institutional level is over worked and understaffed,therefore he does not get the same opportunity you and I would get as a private client setting at best he may get 15 minutes and if he needs or is qualify for a med..but if he needs it and is entitled to it then YES he should be getting it..I’m not here to place judgement on him..everyone else seems to do that very well.I support change in the current Juvenile Laws..I love the attention is “Hot Topic” is getting this is what promotes change..”awareness of the need to change”..People make excuses for anything and everything they do that they know is not right or that others see as unacceptable..even running red lights..why did you block the reply option to your comment???..as I said to Buggles lol, Even a 2 yr old child knows when they have done something wrong and will deny it or hide the facts when confronted..So how much critical thinking does it take to know how to hide something you know you did was wrong????
Replies are limited to five comments deep by the site software, you can still reply to the fourth level comment and it will appear next to the fifth level comment you’re referring to.
You pay taxes in NC not here in Harford and that means this is really none of your business. Really easy to make demands of other people when you have zero skin in the game. Please tell me there aren’t any kids in your own state that you can make into your own personal projects?
This child, please give me a break. This man is a cold blooded murderer who planned out and excecuted his father. He then methodically plotted how to dump the body and cover up his crime. When his plan failed, he led police on a chase that could have injured or killed innocent people. He needs to go to a State prison with all of the other murderers for about 30-40 years which is plenty of time for him to understand that killing someone is never ever ever a solution to your problem. I don’t care that his father wasn’t father of the year, he had options and he knew it. He mentally chose the easy option which was to murder a human being. Many of us have had very difficult lives some worse then his but we chose other options versus murder.
Richardson is in a cell designed for two people by himself with the educational reading material he requested. How exactly would another facility be that much better if he would have to go into isolation in a juvenile facility as well? Imagine the consequences if we housed a juvenile murderer with regular juvenile offenders and he killed one. The people that are upset about him being held pending his trial are ignoring that the factors used in determining bail are not just the charges but risk of flight and danger to society. On top of killing his father, he took police on a chase that ended when he wrecked his car so I’d say the facts clearly indicate he is a risk for both. These emotional crusaders that want all juveniles charged with 1st degree murder to be tried in juvenile court either don’t know or don’t want you to know the extreme limitations of the juvenile courts authority. Even if the juvenile court determined you were a complete monster never fit to return to society, they would still be forced to cut you loose in a few years. They should trust the judgment of the circuit court judges to take all of the factors , including his youth, into consideration when handing down the time to be served, suspended time, and conditions of probation because they are in a much better position to do so in a way that balances the need of the individual vs. the needs of society.
WE are not here decide his fate.ONLY to increase awareness for change in the Juvenile law system which I also have extensive knowledge about….YOU?
RIGHT ON ! THANKS FOR THIS POSTING..didn’t say it was a Maryland law..but I’m so happy you posted this..so many others are just not aware of the exact wording of that law..you made my day!! wooo hooo
Hey Janet,
Actually, in Maryland there is no crime called crime of passion.
A homicide which would typically be a murder may be reduced to a voluntary manslaughter charge because of heat of passion. Basically, it is murder that is mitigated because of certain factors, such as heat of passion or an imperfect necessity based defense..
For heat of passion to occur, there needs to be a “hot blooded response to legally adequate provocation (spousal adultery, violent battery, mutual affray, or illegal arrest) without sufficient time to cool off”.
The defendant will need to prove the heat of passion occurred, and if not, it would be murder.