Articles Posted in Juvenile Crimes

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Lack of good judgment, while not a crime in itself, easily causes arrests. Here are two stories from the Boston area which illustrate this point and show how bad judgment can be expensive in the way of time, money, stress and the overall need for a defense attorney.

Beverly Police have charged two men are charged with the rape of a woman after a party and a night of drinking and smoking marijuana over last weekend. Another man known only by his first name (hereinafter, “Unknown Defendant”) could also face charges – if he is ever identified.

Terrence C, 17, of Beverly and Derek B, 18, (hereinafter “Defendants 1”), of East Bostonare the two identified defendants.

The rape reportedly happened on December 19th at a Cabot Street apartment and was reported to police just after midnight on Sunday morning, December 21st when the victim showed up at the Beverly Hospital emergency room. Beverly Police arrested the two men about 9 a.m. on Sunday.

The complainant, who is 18 years old, told police that it all began at a house party on Friday when the victim and the men went to one man’s apartment because he was under house arrest with a bracelet and had to be home, according to the police report.

Apparently, being under house arrest with a bracelet on is not a sign to be wary to today’s youth.

When they arrived, the complainant told police she gave Unknown Defendant $30 in cash to buy her Mike’s Hard Lemonade and grape vodka. When they returned to the apartment they all smoked marijuana and drank together, the complainant told police.

Just another typical Friday night in the ol’ north shore!
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In Massachusetts, Plainville investigators are seeking to charge a 19-year-old man with purchasing alcohol as a minor and procuring alcohol for a minor. According to Plainville Police Lt. Jim Alfred, Brian Zuzick is alleged to have asked a 21-year-old North Attleboro friend to buy alcohol for Zuzick’s sister Paige and 17-year-old Taylor Meyer. Zuzick is accused of giving each of the girls a bottle of rum on October 17.

Meyer’s body was found in a swampy area in the woods in Norfolk on October 20, three days after her disappearance following a post-Homecoming game party at the abandoned Norfolk airport. Investigators say she drowned.

If Zuzick is convicted, he could be ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, have his license suspended for 180 days, and spend a year in prison. In October, Christopher Moran, 18, pleaded not guilty to charges that he brought alcohol to the party where Meyer was last seen. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances that lead to Meyer’s death.

Last month, at least 13 of Meyer’s schoolmates, all underage teens, were arraigned in Wrentham District Court for their attendance at a drinking party at a local home. Police say they found alcoholic beverages and marijuana at the event.

If you have been arrested for an alcohol-related criminal offense in Massachusetts, you should speak to a Boston criminal defense lawyer about your case. Massachusetts has strict laws about buying alcohol or serving it to minors. It is also illegal for Massachusetts minors to buy or drink alcohol.

Criminal charges sought in teen’s death, Boston.com, December 17, 2008
Teen Arrested In Taylor Meyer Probe, WBZ, October 30, 2008
Laws Related to Alcohol, MIT Continue reading

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Maybe we are taking the wrong approach when a juvenile brings a gun to school. After all, especially after the rash of teen-aged rampages at schools, where people were murdered, we have taken the child/gun combination very seriously. Maybe this has been a mistake.

Perhaps we should embrace it! Maybe make Uzi Firing 101 a required high school course. Actually, perhaps that is starting too little and too late. The answer may be to have each homeroom class in grade school assigned an actual tank and the kids can take turns practicing on it. I realize it may pose a bit of a problem with home-schooled kids. Tanks are big. Not all homes can accommodate one. But all kids deserve a full education. Perhaps the home-schooled kids, and kids too young for school, can be allowed to “skate by” with bazookas!

“Ok”, you yell as you back-hand your computer monitor. “Sam’s finally gone over the deep end!”

Really?

Well, perhaps you can explain to me the “brain trust” targeted by a new indictment that just got handed down in Hampden Superior Court. I warn you in advance, though, it is not a funny story.

The incident happened on October 26, 2008 at Massachusetts’ Westfield Sportsman’s Club (hereinafter, “Club Defendant”). There, men go to “be men” and boys go to be…the same as men, I guess. After all, if a man can handle a cute little uzi sub-machine gun, can’t a young child? And, after all, what does age matter? If a teenager can do it….then an 8 year old can, right?

Now, I could ask “why would you want them to?”, but instead of asking a question, I will simply answer. The answer is, “Well, not really.”

But, then, I guess hind-sight is 20/20 and, after all, I have the benefit of knowing what happened. How could anyone prior have even considered the possibility that giving an 8 year old little boy an Uzi to fire was a bad idea?

Well, they are considering it now; the boy is dead.
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North Attleboro, Massachusetts, had more than its fair share of attempted escapes from law enforcement last week. Two such cases graced the hallowed halls of Attleboro District Court last Friday.

One case involved some teenagers who led the police on a high-speed chase into the welcoming arms of Rhode Island. The teens, a 15-year-old girl and three lads of 17, all of Providence, (hereinafter, “Defendants 1”) ,allegedly broke into vehicles at an Attleboro movie theatre and then took off in a stolen car.

Defendants 1 then led the police on a chase on Interstate 295 at speeds up to 100 miles per hour. Once they reached Rhode Island, the North Attleboro police broke off the chase.

Home free?

Afraid not.

Three of them were returned to Massachusetts (one is trying to fight extradition) to answer charges of breaking and entering, vandalism charges and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. The driver also faces traffic offenses.

You see, the North Attleboro police are not alone in the world. They have friends. Take Rhode Island law enforcement, for example. Rhode Island authorities picked up the chase, which ended on Route 7 in Smithfield, R.I., when the vehicle crashed into a brushy area off the highway.

So, other than the Massachusetts charges, they all now all face related charges in Rhode Island.

While two of the above-mentioned boys were arraigned in North Attleboro District Court last Friday, they had plenty of people to talk to. For example, there was Dennis W., 23, of North Attleboro (Hereinafter, “Defendant 2”). The police say that Defendant 2, an alleged drunk driver, struck a utility pole and drove off before calling a friend to drive his car.
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When I was a kid, we had a thing called “show and tell” in which you could bring in something you thought was “cool” to show the class and maybe play with when the teacher was not looking. It was fun. For some reason, it never occurred to me to bring a weapon in to play with.

I guess times have changed.

Back then, I suppose, if I had brought some weapon in, my parents would have been called and I might be suspended. Today, though, it is the police who are called and it can mean incarceration.

Take a certain 14-year-old student (hereinafter, “Defendant 1”) at Silver Lake Regional Middle School in Kingston, Massachusetts, for example. A pellet gun was found in his locker, according to the Patriot Ledger.

On Thursday morning, a school staffer found the gun in a plastic bag. Police were called to the school, and Defendant 1 was arrested. Police said that the juvenile showed the gun to other students, which is how it the staff became aware of it.

14-year- old Defendant 1 was charged with carrying a weapon on school grounds and disturbing a school.

Over-reaction?
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Prosecutors on Friday filed a motion to dismiss one of the 1st degree murder charges against the 8-year-old boy who is accused of shooting his father and another victim. The boy’s father, Vincent Romero, and Tim Romans, Romero’s roommate, died from injuries they sustained in the shooting.

According to police, the boy confessed to shooting the two men in their home using a .22-caliber rifle on November 5, 2008. They recorded his confession on video.

 

 

A CBS legal analyst, however, called the interrogation of the boy “absurd.” Lisa Bloom noted that children younger than age 12 are susceptible to telling adults what they want to hear during questioning. She pointed out that the boy’s confession came only after a police officer questioned him repeatedly and prior to that the 8-year-old denied shooting the gun that killed Romero and Romans.

The boy did not have an attorney, legal guardian, or parent present during the interview by the two cops who were armed, and he was not read his Miranda rights. Other legal and child psychology experts are questioning whether the boy’s videotaped confession will be admissible in court.

Prosecutors say the boy was interviewed because they initially believed he was a victim. An assistant federal public defender says the interrogation should have stopped once the boy became a suspect.

The boy’s two 1st degree murder charges were filed in juvenile court, but St. Johns Police Chief Roy Melnick says he will try to have the boy prosecuted as an adult. To date, however, an 8-year-old has never been tried as an adult in criminal court.

Trying Juveniles in Adult Criminal Court
Sometimes, the severity of a juvenile crime may allow prosecutors to charge a juvenile in adult criminal court, where the penalties are much more severe.

Lawyers Drop One Murder Charge Against Boy, CBS News, November 22, 2008
Experts Doubt That 8-Year-Old’s Taped Confession in Double Killing Is Admissible, New York Times, November 21, 2008
Related Web Resource:

CBS News Video provided by YouTube
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Remember the old cliché “The apple does not fall far from the [alleged] tree”? Well, this North Attleboro tree is apparently growing in the local district court on the criminal justice side of the street.

Last Thursday, a 48 year-old single mother, (hereinafter, ” Mommy Defendant”), was arrested and ordered to stay away from the North Attleboro Middle and High school after she allegedly threatened the middle school principal. This alleged event took place after her son (hereinafter, “Sonny Defendant”), was arrested for an unrelated incident at the school.

Mommy Defendant is said to have driven to the middle school and made threats to kill Principal Victoria Ekk with a gun while in the school office in front of onlookers. Mommy Defendant, however, denies the charges and has pleaded “not guilty” to threats of uttering threats to kill, disturbing a school assembly and disorderly charges.

Her lawyer described Mommy Defendant as a hardworking woman trying to raise a family while working two jobs to make a living. “She has no gun. She doesn’t even know how to use a gun. She’s a single mother struggling to pay bills and raise three children,” the lawyer said.

In fact, school officials had determined before police arrived that Mommy Defendant had no weapon, according to a police report.

Mommy Defendant’s lawyer also described the scene a bit differently, indicating that she had gone to the office calmly and denies making threats or causing a disturbance.
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Friday night was a big night for Massachusetts law enforcement in the prosecution of juvenile alcohol parties and narcotics investigations.

In Danvers, An investigator’s patience paid off as he sat back and watched an alleged drug deal, stopping the car afterwards. He found a wide variety of drugs in the car, police said yesterday.

Danvers Police Lt. Carole Germano said Detective Robert Sullivan was staking out a Newbury Street business at 10:15 p.m. Friday. “He had set up surveillance in the Motel 6 parking lot and he observed a hand-to-hand (pass) and subsequently stopped the vehicle and seized the drugs and currency,” she said.

The stash allegedly found included cocaine, heroin, Vicodin and other prescription drugs inside the car, as well as an undisclosed amount of money.

Darren L., 40, and Twyla H., 27, (hereinafter, “Defendants 1”), both of Lynn, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to violate a drug law, drug violation near a school or park, possession of Class A drugs to distribute, possession of Class B drugs to distribute and three counts of possession of Class C drugs to distribute.

The stop of the car was also occasioned by the driver’s alleged failure to stop at a stop sign, winning her an additional criminal charge.

Meanwhile, in Plainville, Massachusetts, thirteen youths, all under 21 years old, (hereinafter, “Defendants 2”) were having their weekend ruined. They were arrested at a party with underaged drinking Friday night, police said.
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In Massachusetts, Boston police made six arrests in connection with a robbery. One of the men who was apprehended, 22-year-old Edwin J. Prosper, was charged with several counts of unlawful weapons possession after police caught him sitting on three 9mm semiautomatic handguns while in a wheelchair. The arrests occurred on Saturday as Boston police officers were investigating an armed robbery report involving two men who say that a group of men confronted them and stole their cell phones.

The robbery victims chased their assailants to an apartment building on Pilsudski Way, where they were held at bay by two people with guns. The victims then ran from the scene but returned with police who entered the building and brought out six males and three females.

Only Prosper was apprehended with any weapons in his possession. One of the handguns he was sitting on has laser sight and the other two have high-capacity magazines. At the time of the arrest, Boston police say it was unclear whether the 22-year-old was disabled, hurt, or using the wheelchair as his prop.

Prosper is scheduled to be arraigned at South Boston District Court on Monday. Four of the other men and a 15-year-old boy face charges of intent to rob and armed assault.

Illegal Weapons Possession
In Massachusetts, it is against the law to own a weapon if you don’t have a Firearms Identification Card. In order to obtain an FID, you have to pass a federal NCIS check.

Even if you are arrested for a crime that has nothing to do with the gun in your possession, ou could face criminal charges for illegal weapons possessionif you don’t have the legal paperwork authorizing you to own or carry a gun in Massachusetts.

Boston Police: Man in wheelchair sitting on guns, MSNBC, November 2, 2008
Suspect allegedly hid guns in his wheelchair, Boston.com, November 1, 2008

Related Web Resources:

Massachusetts Law About Weapons, Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries
The General Laws of Massachusetts
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In Massachusetts, an arrest has been made in connection to the underage drinking party where 17-year-old Taylor Meyer was last seen. Meyer’s body was found on October 20 following an exhaustive search involving fire, police, and rescue teams.

The Plainville teen disappeared on October 17 after leaving the party. Meyer wasn’t reported missing until the next day. While family thought that the King Philip High School senior was with friends, her friends thought she was with family.

Officials say that Meyer’s cause of death was drowning. Her body was discovered in a marshy area close to Miller Street bridge.

This week, Christopher Moran was arrested in connection with the underage drinking party. Moran reportedly told police that he brought 12 beers to the party and that he got the beers from his parent’s refrigerator.

Some 20 teens attended the party, which was held at an abandoned Norfolk airport. The teens reportedly drank beer and vodka. Police have been investigating how the teens were able to obtain alcohol for the party.

• In Massachusetts, it is illegal to give or buy alcohol for anyone younger than 21.
• Also, anyone younger than 21 who is caught with or around alcohol or drugs is subject to arrest.
• Parents may be contacted if the teen is under 18.
• The parents of minors who host house parties where alcohol is accessible can be held liable in both civil and criminal courts.

Teen Arrested In Fatal Drinking Party Probe, The Boston Channel, October 30, 2008
Police launch criminal probe into Taylor Meyer’s death, Boston Herald, October 29, 2008
Autopsy shows no foul play in Taylor Meyer’s death, Boston Herald, October 22, 2008
Drinking Party That Ended In Teen’s Death Eyed, The Boston Channel, October 29, 2008
Helping teens stay safe during party season, Wicked Local, May 16, 2008
Laws Related to Alcohol, MIT.edu Continue reading

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