Only one witness will testify in Jasper County Circuit Court Friday as Judge David Mouton decides whether to send Memorial Middle School shooter Thomas Gregory White back to juvenile court.
White, 14, was 13 years old when he took an assault rifle into Memorial Middle School Oct. 9, fired a shot into the ceiling, then attempted to fire another shot at Principal Steve Gilbreth, but the gun jammed.
White is charged with two counts of assault, and one count each of unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action, and attempted escape.
According to Jasper County Circuit Court documents on case.net, the Jasper County prosecuting attorney's office and White's attorneys agreed on one witness.
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Addition (as of June 14) Case.net, as wonderful a service as it is, offers a limited amount of information. As I examine the latest filing, it appears to me that it could also be interpreted as meaning only one hearing will be held with witnesses, as opposed to one witness. We will find out, of course, when the hearing is held Friday.
5 comments:
How do you know he attempted to shoot others if the gun jammed? I really don't understand that considering no one ever saw him try to pull the trigger at them (not even the principal.) Isn't it hard to know that?
And as for your believing that there is no way a principal can ignore acts of bullying can I ask you a question... where do you get your kool-aid?
Anyway I think its weird that both sides agreed to this one witness. If it is the state psycatrist the defense shouldn't trust him/her (lets face it police psycatrists tend to carry their own badges if you catch my drift) and if its a private one why does the prosecution trust him/her?
Third time is the charm, I hope...
Why even have juvenile classifications if the kids are just going to be tried as adults - after a big show of puffery by "tough on crime" prosecutors.
Jesus! Kids of 13 are not even wired up yet. That's not liberalism talking - thats science.
Can we get over our obsession with punishment/revenge/retribution? Please? Before Robespierre is the last unexecuted man?
I often tell the students who I pull into my office for policy violations, "Only the dumb ones get caught."
I also think, 'I realize this kid is dumb and has hopefully learned from his mistake, but...if I don't deliver a sanction and require the student carry it out, what am I teaching him and his peers?'
We make choices, and those choices have consequences. He made the choice to take the gun to school, to point it toward someone and to pull the trigger. Saying he was dumb is an understatement. If we let this kid off, what message does that send the next one? "Sure, take a gun to school and try to shoot someone. If you're not successful, you get a 'get out of school free' card and don't have to go to directly to jail."
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