Juvenile Crime Is Not Direct Filed Thanks To South Florida Defense Attorney

Summary:

During school, the client agreed to meet near the bleachers in the back of the school to fight another student. Once they got into an argument, the other student stole money from the client and threw a brick at his nose. In self-defense, the client stabbed him.

Facts of the Case:

The client, who’s only 16 years old, was a freshman at North Miami Beach Senior High School. He had been dealing with and having issues with bullies, and on the day of the incident, one of the bullies and his friends got into an argument with the client.

The two freshmen agreed to meet in the back of their school and fight. The other student took $5 from the client and threw a brick at him, injuring his nose, which is when the client—in self-defense—grabbed a knife from one of the backpacks and stabbed the student. 

Just two days before this incident occurred, the other student and his friend groups had just snatched $20 from the client at the store near the school and said they would take all his money. That same day, after school, the group followed the client home, jumped him, and beat him up. This whole altercation had been recorded, posted on Instagram, and seen by several students at the school. 

Of the 2 main students involved in this group, one of them was the client’s bully who got into a fight with the client. The client was found outside of the North Miami Beach Police Department, where he explained that he wanted to turn himself in to the police. That’s also when the client revealed that he had told the detectives that the knife he had was a steak knife from his mother’s kitchen. However, the client only stated that out of fear of retaliation, his mom doesn’t own such a knife.

The client could be charged with attempted murder, aggravated battery with great bodily harm, exhibiting a weapon on school property, and interference/disruption of an educational institution.

Process and Result:

The client’s mom had an online Zoom strategy session with lead attorney Susan Lawson. Susan discussed and explained that her main strategy and approach for this case was just litigation and mitigation. The main goals were to try to keep the case in juvenile court and stop the State Attorney’s office from direct filing the case as an attempted murder.

The mother explained everything dealing with her son’s recent habits and behavior, including the fact that he had been dealing with severe bullying, had issues with his grades at school, and how he was Baker Acted 6 months ago.

Final Result:

Susan gathered a lot of mitigation evidence and then wrote a mitigation letter to the Officer of the State Attorney requesting that the client’s case stay in juvenile court. She articulated how the client was only 16, had no prior contacts with the criminal justice system, and had a supportive loving family that had been participating in counseling sessions with him.

She argued and explained that the appropriate resolution for this case wasn’t to direct file this case, but to have the client continue to engage in rehabilitation treatment.