Murder is wrong and it doesn't matter the age. But the case of 12-year-old Jordan Brown in Pennsylvania is raising all sorts of ethics questions. At the top of the list, how young is too young to be on trial for murder as an adult?In almost half the states across the country, children can be prosecuted and tried in adult court. But a majority of homicide cases involving children as young as Jordan are traditionally tried in juvenile courts.
Jordan was a chubby-cheeked fifth-grader, quarterback for a community football league and loved riding bikes and reading Harry Potter books. He's accused of shooting his pregnant step-mom with a 20-gauge shotgun. Police say after the shooting, Jordan boarded the school bus and went about his day as if nothing happened.
I've read a few court documents on this case. Jordan never exhibited any violent streaks, but was reportedly jealous of his dad's new wife. The few documents in the case that have been released (most are sealed because of the possibility this could head to a juvenile court where information is not public), suggest the Jordan was jealous of his step-mom. This is something Jordan's father says is simply not true.
I don't think a 12-year-old should be tried as an adult. I really don't think he knew what he was doing, nor did he know the consequences of his actions. I think back of things I did when I was 12. While I never committed murder, I remember pushing the limits to see what I could get away with. I learned from my mistakes.
At the same time, I wonder if Jordan could snap again one day. If tried in the juvenile courts, he would be free at the age of 21. It'll be interesting to see what comes of this case, and if a judge will decide to send this to the juvenile court system.
I disagree. I learned "thou shalt not kill" when I was six. That boy knew what he was doing.
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