'WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?' BY OUR FOUNDER, D.

 

'WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT?' A DISCUSSION BY OUR FOUNDER, D.

From our founder, D. — A reflection on the change in attitude towards Juvenile sentencing in the course of the last 20 years, and on those who have been left behind  and are not benefiting from any of it. Here is why our fight is so important:

In 1993, a family is killed in Washington state. The two suspects arrested are a 13- and 14-year old boys. Both children are brought to a juvenile detention center within their county.
Both children are charged with multiple counts of Aggravated murder.
The two children have seperate lawyers and defense teams. 

During the course of their trials, one of the boys is given a plea deal for First Degree Murder, and receives 90 years.
The other boy continues on with trial, and is found guilty of Aggravated murder, and given a sentence of Life without Parole.
The only difference in their culpability of the crime, was the lawyers assigned to represent them.
Under SSB5064, legislation mandates that a child fifteen and under be automatically taken back to court and resentenced to 25 years to life for the crime of Aggravated murder, and that those who commit a crime under the age of eighteen be given a hearing after 20 years, no matter the remainder of their sentence, and be granted release if they are found not to be at risk of committing another crime.

You would assume that both the children would be released by now, being it’s almost 2021; yet only one is.
The child given Life without Parole is still waiting for resentencing, despite SSB5064 being enacted in 2014. He is two years past his prospective release.
Why is a child charged with Aggravated murder while still a juvenile defendant? This is solely an adult SRA charge. Whereas Murder in the first degree is a charge for both a juvenile and adult, and if a child is declined into adult court, they would receive a sentence of up to 26 years 8 months for murder.
Aggravated murder carried two sentences up until 2014, before SSB 5064: Life without parole/Death penalty, and hasn't thus been used on a juvenile since the year 2000.

Please support our campaign to amend all charges of Aggravated murder given to a child fifteen years old or younger, to the charge of First Degree Murder.