Two 15-year-olds will be tried as adults in the murder of a young woman who was bringing food to her parents.
Que’dyn Growe and Demond Thomas are accused of killing Anita Lrvin-LeViege during an attempted carjacking on January 3, 2021. Newly elected New Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams held a press conference Monday afternoon to announce that he would break a campaign promise not to try juveniles in adult criminal court. “My decision to prosecute this murder and armed robbery by juveniles in criminal court is not taken lightly,” Williams said. Williams said that the nature of the crime cannot be ignored and “we must pursue appropriate accountability.”
Criticism came from the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights. In an email statement the group said: “While we respect the gravity of the alleged offenses and the loss of a life, the research is unequivocal: children prosecuted in adult court are more likely to reoffend than kids who remain in the juvenile system.”
The level of brazen youth terrorizing citizens with guns and with zero regard for human life has reached a point where more drastic measures must be taken now. I can appreciate the research and concerns of groups like the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights, but leniency toward the violent crimes of teenagers has obviously manifested a rapid expansion of senseless gun violence.
Common sense and logic tell us that juveniles are well aware of the lack of severe consequences they face when they are as comfortable shooting guns as teenagers used to be shooting marbles. And in certain cases the parents of the young suspects should also face harsh consequences.
Campaign promises are made for the purpose of getting elected, and we should hold politicians accountable for the promises they make on the campaign trail. However, we should applaud the politicians who have the courage to break a campaign promise when reality dictates different action.
Liberal policies toward juvenile crime seem to have given juveniles the clear message that the consequences they face for even the most violent of crimes will be minimal. And there seems to be enough concern that adults are encouraging juveniles to commit crimes on their behalf knowing the consequences will not be severe to factor in the idea of introducing juveniles to a life of crime.
