Criminal charges have the potential to change a person’s life forever. This is particularly true when the charges are felonies. If the accused is a young person, the affects can be even greater since they have so much of their life ahead of them.
A 17-year-old boy was recently arrested in connection with a murder in Utah. According to reports, the teenager was arrested while at school in another state. Prosecutors claim that he was connected with the death of a 15-year-old girl. The girl’s body was found near Draper, Utah in a river in March 2012. She had been badly beaten and died of apparent blunt force trauma to the head.
There is some speculation that the teen arrested in this case was the girl’s boyfriend. A 34-year-old man has also been arrested in connection with the girl’s death, however, police are now saying that he was not involved in the case.
At this point, it is not known if the boy will be tried as a juvenile or as an adult in the case.
If the teen is tried as an adult, he could be sentenced to serious penalties if convicted of homicide. These penalties could include a long prison sentence and a permanent criminal record. If the teen is tried as a juvenile, he could also face penalties that could disrupt his education and future if he is convicted.
In cases where juveniles are charged with crimes, it is very important that they prepare a criminal defense. A proper criminal defense is the best way to keep the case in juvenile court where penalties tend to focus on rehabilitation instead of adult court where penalties are more serious and have the potential to change a person’s life.
Source: KJCT, “GJHS teen arrested for Murder charge out of UT,” Oct. 17, 2014