Listen to the audio story here:
The Youth Justice Coalition held a press conference outside the court building Tuesday. A judge sentenced Tedi Snyder, 20, to 32 years in prison. Snyder was 15 years old when he was involved in a gang shooting. No one was killed, but a jury convicted Snyder of attempted murder.
Kim McGill of the Youth Justice Coalition focused on what she called “outrageous” sentences for teens.
“Young people are getting 111 to life, 200 to 250 to life sentences at the ages of 14, 15, 16, 17 years old,” McGill said.
Some argue these types of teens, regardless of their age, should be held accountable for their actions.
“We’re not saying people shouldn’t be held accountable for their actions,” McGill said. “In fact, our membership has gone to way more funerals than graduations. And no one wants more death and destruction to stop in the streets more than black and brown people,” McGill said.
Snyder was facing 80 years to life. The judge reduced his sentence, but the Youth Justice Coalition, family and friends still do not think that was the justice they were looking for.
On 1/6/5, a 15 year old young male honor student was taken on a gang jump-in, unknowingly, by an adult friend. With court ordered psych and private psych reports recommending juvenile intervention on all 5 requirements, good family, (no dad)other communnity and friend support and a private attorney, more interested in passing out his son’s NFL jerseys to the old judges he hadn’t seen for awhile, did not providw this young man with a hearing of his own in juvenile court. The private attorney stated the judge could choose to speak to the family or not. As they kept this young man shackled in the middle of 2 of the gang members who wanted him to participate. After he had witnessed them beat the adult male, rob teen victims of their cell phones, shoes and beat up one victim and hit another, all witness/victims stated he did nothing but sit in the car, until the last robbery. He was being threatened to do something by the gang members. The adult drove. The young man got out of the car and asked a victim for his t=shirt. For this he was proclaimed “a package deal” by the juvenile judge and sent to adult court. There the 6 initial charges increased to 11, he was to not be severed for his own trial. The adult did 2 months, 2 years probation and took 2 strikes. The day of the arrest, he was interviewed by one officer, no parent present and told the truth. The officer from juvenile hall called for him to be picked up. Upon arrival, he was not allowed to leave, for the new shift had started and the night officer said he needed to learn a lesson. In adult court, where he remained shackled in the middle still, with known gang members he didn’t really know. The judge offered him 5 years formal probation, 2 strikes and 112 months joint suspension to get out after a year in the hands of Sylmar, where he suffered terrible abuse. Then he was the first minor the receiving po had in 20 years. The assigned po, saw him monthly, kept up to date, but no services were available to him because he was a minor. He got his high school diploma in less than a year from release. At 19, his new po got him into the prob dept new Day Reporting Center, where he excelled at graduation and with the employment. He became engaged. Was one of the major caregivers of his disabled peace officer grandmother. He had dbeen so badly traumatized in many ways as a child. He started to drink. In May of 2009, he had a dui. No victims. Still not ok, I agree. It took them 10 months to file the case. He had close relationships with prob, community work, everything and a baby due in 11/10 with his wife.
His 5 years of formal probation was to be up pn 10/11/10, So, 8/17/10, with modification recommended by prob. The judge violated him. Took him into custody. The same judge that had released him 4 years and 10 months prior,as he made sure it was ordered he would hear any violation. With a prominent attorney, and a long line of support the young man was sentenced to the nine years and four months pronounced 5 years ago for asking for a t-shirt, 6 months for the DUI, of which he had finished the HAM program, attending classes, still in full compliance and never missed a prob payment. There was no restitution in either case. No credit for the 4years and 10 months of prob. Told that if he wanted his hearing, as the judge stated he liked it when people begged, he would not recommend any program for him. This judge makes a lot of inappropriate comments, out of robe. Is known to give one not guilty a year and counts only the not guilty jury verdicts, which to date, total 14. Talks about having 16 years left on the bench. States out loud that he doesn’t believe. Everyone is convicted in his court under the letter of the law. That’s how they take our children and bury them alive in the prisons full of adult sexual predators. This young man was not convicted of his own wrongdoing, but that of others. Because he was a scared 15 year old, he is now a terrified 21 year old husband, father-to-be and a victim of a juvenile system that does not know what a child is.
These stories are the tip of the iceberg. Two hundred of our young men in for life. Thousands of our children having their lives ruined in one of the greatest countries in the world? To keep private contracted prisons in business. A complete college education and psychotherapy would cost millions less for our young men and women. The shackles have never come off, just modernized. We must save our children to save their children. It takes a village, we are the village.
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