Can a young teenager get life in prison or the electric chair for doing a historically terrible crime?

PARVFAN

Yes, if tried as an adult. Peace

donanana

I believe that every case is different but yes a teen may be tried as an adult in cases of terrible crime. There was a boy that wrestled and killed a little girl. See below:

The attorney for a 13-year-old boy found guilty of murdering a 6-year-old playmate by imitating wrestling moves says he will appeal the conviction, and ask the judge to reduce it to manslaughter.

Defense attorney Jim Lewis argued that Lionel Tate was too immature to realize that the wrestling moves he saw on television could cause serious damage to Tiffany Eunick, who died on July 28, 1999, of blunt trauma injuries sustained when she was playing with Tate in his mother's apartment.

An autopsy showed Tiffany suffered a fractured skull, lacerated liver, broken rib, internal hemorrhaging and numerous cuts and bruises. One expert for the prosecution said the injuries were comparable to falling from a three-story building.

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Prosecutors alleged during the trial that Tate, who weighed 170-pounds at the time, beat the 48-pound girl to death and knew he was hurting her with each blow.

The jury agreed, and deliberated for 3 1/2 hours before finding him guilty of adult charges of first-degree murder.

"The injuries were so extensive we all felt that it wasn't an accident," juror William Stevenson said. "We had to abide by the law, and the law spelled it out. It wasn't just wrestling."

Under Florida law, jurors did not have to conclude that Tate meant to kill Eubanks, only that his actions were intentional and abusive.

Lewis' said that the jury should have been allowed to hear more about the effects wrestling could have on children.

"The jurors heard some about wrestling, but I don't think it was enough," Lewis said. "They did not hear from the experts, the psychologists, the media violence experts, that could have persuaded this jury that Lionel had fallen into the trap so many youngsters fall into."

Circuit Judge Joel T. Lazarus barred professional wrestlers from testifying about how they stage bouts to make them look real. He also disallowed testimony from psychologists about how televised wrestling makes young fans more violent.

Lewis had tried to subpoena a number of professional wrestlers including Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson.

First-degree murder carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole, but Florida Gov. Jeb Bush could commute the sentence after consulting with prosecutors.

Tate's mother, Florida Highway Patrol trooper Kathleen Grossett-Tate said she would tell the governor: "I want my son out. I want my son out. He should not be there." She was asleep in the apartment when Eunick died.

Prosecutors said Tate's family repeatedly rejected a plea offer last year that would have sent the boy to juvenile detention for three years, followed by a year of house arrest and 10 years probation.

Chris

No, the Supreme Court ruled the death penalty unconstitutional for people who committed crimes as minors. They can get life in prison for first degree murder, which is they planned out the crime before committing it.

Hillary

Probably in Texas or Florida -- and even then, it would have to be pretty bad, and the kid would have to be blatantly (like, caught on tape) guilty.

They gave a huge sentence to that 12-year-old in Florida who used the wrestling move on the little girl and killed her, so I think it could totally happen if the crime were bad enough.

Nancy Kay

Well, only if they were tried as an adult, and then it would have to be something unspeakably horrible...

blue-eyez

I have read about teens that age getting life in prison for murder. They have do be tried as an adult to get that sentence.

miss lollipop

depends

hammer

My goodness! You Americans are quite primitive. Talking about murdering children in an electric chair in the name of justice.

Natemannx13

I highly doubt it maybe if they were like 16 and did the crime they would be put in a detention center till they were 18 and spend a life sentence in prison from then on. Also I think only Texas still has a working electric chair the most common thing now is lethal injection.

Pancake

If the lawyers ask to have that person tried as an adult then it would depend on how gruesome the crime and state, and if psychiatrists, after testing, believe that the teenager cannot be rehabilated then they may ask for life in prison.

VERSAILLES

Probably not...even if they decide to charge him/her as an adult she'll probably just get life.

jaimelleonard

yes, depending on the crime. If the intent and degree of the crime justifies the person being tried as an adult..as in the actions were so malicious that they were on a level that we would classify as adult behavior...

I hope so.

fuzzykitty

Would probably depend on the state, her attitude, and prior record. But, If not , I suspect in the future that it will happen.

MDJ

Yes they can be sentenced to life. Different laws can easily exclude the death sentence when committed by a minor, I do not know all the states laws on this so you would have to see if your state allowed for juvenile execution. They would go to a juvenile until adulthood then transfered to an adult institution for the rest of there sentence to be carried out. Below are some examples.

memememe

What is your next degree? Becoming a 13-15 year old who will work doing historically terrible crimes?

lolo2459

Yes they can get life in prison. I work in the juvenile justice system with juvenile delinquents, and if they are tried as an adult they can get sentenced to life in prison. I am in Wisconsin and we do not have the death penalty............

crazyem

If it's really horrible, you could get life. People like to think someone so young isn't a waste, so will want the possibilty of parole after a long sentence. But the death sentence would be unheard of for someone so young. A jury wouldn't go for it.

Max R Waller

No but to help prevent it, she may studied to find out what made the teenager behave in that manner.

Profilers and people in the Mental Health Industry will benefit to ensure that it may be prevented.

qcyboy

depending on what state they are in but mostly at 13-15 they would be sent to a juvie detention until 17 or 18 and then it's prison until either their sentence is up or that they have recieved life without parole.

shy sureno

Yes

OrigamiGirl

Nope. They would go to juvie. The minute they turn eightteen, they get the electric chair.

Nance_1010

Why are u considering a life of crime?

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