deputylinda said:Lionel was not competent at his age to decide on plea. the judge will ajudicate a juvie as an adult if severity of crime warrants it. his mom flat out refused to deal with DA and lionel would have been free at 18 if she had...a small price to pay for killing the little girl. in fact, i hold the mother partially responsible for criminal negligence at the very least. she was "adult" in the house. the whole case was fraught with problems, and lionel got more than a fair deal when he was freed. :twocents:
Thats my whole point...how can we say a 12 year old is not competent to decide on a plea...then turn around and say he is able to think like an adult, and be treated like an adult when it comes to a trial? IMO until we give the 12 year old the full right to decide on his defense, he should not be able to be tried as an adult.