– 16-year-old charged in Chiefs Super Bowl rally shooting
– Family court case against teenager in Chiefs Super Bowl rally shooting.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
A Jackson County judge made a significant ruling on Wednesday regarding a 16-year-old boy who was charged with allegedly firing a gun at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl rally in February. The judge decided that the boy will not face prosecution as an adult.
The decision came after Jackson County Family Court Administrative Judge Jennifer Phillips carefully considered evidence presented by the boy’s attorney and the Jackson County Juvenile Officer. The goal was to have the boy certified and his case transferred out of family court, where juvenile cases are typically prosecuted.
In a news release issued on Thursday, the Office of the Juvenile Officer stated, “After hearing the evidence that was presented by the Jackson County Juvenile Officer and the juvenile’s attorneys relating to certification, (Phillips) determined the juvenile was a proper subject to be dealt with under the provisions of the Missouri juvenile justice system. As such, the court did not certify the juvenile to stand trial as an adult, and the matter will continue to be heard in the Jackson County Family Court.”
The boy, identified in court as A.M., faced charges of unlawful use of a weapon and resisting arrest. He was one of three juveniles charged in connection with the shooting incident.
Factors Considered in the Decision
Under state law, judges must consider several factors when determining whether to transfer a juvenile case to general jurisdiction court. These factors include the seriousness of the alleged offense, whether it involved violence, whether it was part of a pattern of offenses, the child’s age, and their history.
Testimony in A.M.’s certification hearing unfolded over two days in April and May. Phillips heard from professionals who evaluated the boy and his case, as well as his family and law enforcement.
According to police reports, the shooting at the conclusion of the celebratory event was triggered by a dispute between two groups. A 43-year-old woman, identified as local DJ and radio host Lisa Lopez-Galvan, lost her life, and numerous individuals, including children, sustained injuries.
A.M.’s attorney, Yashwanth Manjunath, asserted during closing arguments in May that A.M. was not the instigator in the altercation and only discharged his weapon in response to Lyndell Mays, one of three men later accused of murder in connection with the rally shooting, firing the first shots.
“A.M. is a young individual who made a regrettable error on one occasion and requires guidance,” he stated at the time.
During her closing statement, Monica Penrose, representing the Jackson County Juvenile Officer, argued that the boy’s decision to carry and discharge a firearm was an “adult choice.” She highlighted that A.M. participated in the confrontation that sparked the shooting, ran away when the gunfire began, and then fired indiscriminately at Mays, who was on the ground and no longer a threat.
“This was not an act of self-defense,” she asserted at that time.
The certification hearing for another juvenile involved in the shooting is scheduled to commence on July 25. A third teenager was detained on gun-related charges that do not meet the criteria for adult prosecution.
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– Case against charged Chiefs Super Bowl rally shooting stays family court
– 16-year-old charged Chiefs Super Bowl rally shooting family court.
