Juvenile Offenses, Tried As Adults?

Arnell Bowden, seventeen years of age, fatally wounded his best friend, Gordon Watson, fourteen, in Detroit. He admitted to pulling the trigger but states it was all an accident. The prosecuting attorneys say otherwise. Pulling the trigger is a crime. For this, Bowden was tried as an adult. Another incident where a minor was tried as an adult was the case of Andrew Wurst, an eighth grader, fourteen, in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. He shot and killed a teacher at a school dance. He was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, possessing instrument of a crime, carrying a firearm without a license, and possession of a controlled substance. Andrew Williams, a fifteen-year-old boy, also went on a shooting rampage through his high school, Santana High School. Attorneys argued whether this was a juvenile or adult case, but in the end his case was taken to the adult court due to the fact that this crime was premeditated. Williams killed two classmates and injured thirteen others.

The article, "Juvenile law & tried as an adult," states that a minor can be tried as an adult or as a minor. The procedure depends on the severity of the crime, the age of the child, and the arrest history of the child. If the judge decides to charge the child as an adult, he is treated like an adult in every aspect. This includes being held in prison until their hearing.

Andrew Wurst, the eighth grader who shot and killed a teacher at his school dance, was tried as an adult. He received charges of aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and many more. This case was handled very well by the prosecutor as well as by the judge. Wurst had allegedly told another student prior to the dance, that it was going to be a "memorable" dance. His actions were indisputably premeditated. The severity of this crime was very high. He knew what he intended to do, harm or even kill other people. That fact alone was enough to put him in front of a judge as an adult.

The article, "Teen-age girl to be tried as adult in Pearland slaying," is about a fifteen-year-old boy and girl who killed and robbed an eighty one year old woman. Patricia Ray, the fifteen-year-old girl, stated that she was forced to search the house and get the car, while the boy she was with murdered the woman. If all that is true, then why is she being tried as an adult? Why