PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Juvenile justice advocates continue to protest the arrest of a colleague in Philadelphia Family Court last month, calling for more transparency in the juvenile system.
James Aye was arrested on Sept. 13 for refusing to leave a courtroom where one of his clients at the youth nonprofit YEAH Philly was facing charges. YEAH Philly co-founder Kendra Van de Water says the client wanted Aye there.
“It is a young person’s right to have trusted adults and support in the courtroom to help navigate their legal cases,” said Van de Water, a fact echoed by City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier.
“Court watching is a long-established legal tool,” said Gauthier, who called the arrest a slap in the face to the community.
Van de Water and Gauthier joined other advocates and elected officials in LOVE Park, across from the Family Court building, on Thursday, to defend Aye.
Humz Johnson was in and out of juvenile court for seven years. At 18, he says, he’s finally out of the system, and he credits YEAH Philly with helping get him there.
“YEAH Philly was always helpful for me in court,” recalled Johnson. “Days when my mom couldn’t make it or I couldn’t count on anybody, I always could count on YEAH Philly because they showed up and advocated for me when the courts were all against me.”
Leem Washington also shared his firsthand experience, recalling how YEAH helped him emerge successfully from the juvenile justice system as well.
“There were things in the courtroom that nobody explained to me, not even my lawyers, but they were always able to break it down for me,” Washington said. “They were actually there with me to watch me grow, to be what people said we couldn’t be and do what people said we couldn’t do.”
However, that right to courtroom support can get muddy because of confidentiality rules in a juvenile court setting. Youth advocates have called for stronger guidelines. State Rep. Rick Krajewski said the need for adult support in court is clear.
“It’s a scary experience. You feel alone, you feel isolated, you’re afraid for your future,” he said. “The least someone deserves to have is to have their community behind them.”
Aye has a hearing in adult court on obstruction of justice and other charges in two weeks. The First Judicial District declined comment.
CORRECTION: In a previous version of this article, City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier's statements were misattributed.