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Similar case shows Unjust treatment of children

Other Juvenile Cases prove Florida Unfair in treatment of children

In 2001, 15 Brenton Butler was wrongly accused of murder simply because he was black.. Arrested, detained and beaten into a confession, the young boy was lucky enough to be assigned a public defender that believes in real justice. Patrick McGuinness believed in Brenton’s innocence and fought to prove it in a court of law. He succeeded and Butler was acquitted and later sued the sheriff’s department in Jacksonville, Florida and was awarded $775,000 dollars for the pain and suffering he endured at the hands of the so-called detectives.

Rebecca Falcon made the mistake of going for a ride with an older boy who in turn shot and killed a cab driver. Feeling bad, she called her mother who convinced her to go to the police station and tell what had happened. Her reward? She was arrested, charged and tried for the cab driver’s murder and was sent to prison for life.

12 year old Kyle Fredrickson was splashing in a mud puddle at school. A deputy took the boy to the office, handcuffed him and arrested him. He was transported to the jail in a police car where he was held in a detention area with actual criminals for two hours until his mother and grandmother were allowed to pick him up. Is this justice? Is this the law as we want our children to learn it? How can we expect our children to respect a system that treats them like this?

Now Daniel Carter, 15, is suffering the same fate as Assistant State Attorney, David Rimmer, wants to have the boy sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for an act of self defense. Daniel was dragged from his bed while sleeping, by his uncle who was strung out on steroids and high on alcohol and barbiturates. He was beaten and a threat made to castrate him. In fear, he grabbed a knife and began swinging in self-defense. One strike caught his uncle across the throat and the man bled to death in a matter of minutes. The state believes Daniel committed premeditated murder. The state of Florida needs a complete overhaul of their juvenile judicial system.

Governor Jeb Bush was once quoted, "There should be a sensitivity to the fact that a 14 year old is not a little adult." But Bush has yet to take any action whatsoever to back up those words. He has so far, ignored all cases of juveniles being thrown into adult courts in his state.

Nation wide support has gathered to help Daniel before the state destroys yet another youth.

A benefit is being held on June 14, 2003 in Pensacola, Florida to help raise funds for Daniel Carter’s defense. Funds are needed for experts in various fields to testify on Daniel’s behalf. More information can be found on the various web sites.

Some links to visit

www.betrayedinnocence.org

www.kidsincourt.com

girlsandboystown.org

danielcarter.us

Web sites in full support

All the listed web sites show strong support for fairness and justice for juveniles being treated as if they are adults. No child should be considered an adult under any circumstances and all children deserve the chance to change and be rehabilitated. When you consider the percentage of adult criminals who only serve a small portion of their sentences and are given the chance to start over, why should children be looked at as hopeless and lost causes? But unfortunately, many politicians, especially those such as Senator Crist of Florida, feel just that way.