Question

Gwendolyn Hunt was driving while intoxicated when she hit and killed Felicia Meyers, a seven- year-old, in a school crosswalk. Gwendolyn was 16 years old at the time. However, she was on probation from a reduced sentence for driving 62 in a 35 mph residential speed zone. Should Gwendolyn be tried as an adult for vehicular manslaughter?

Answer 1

A major difference between juvenile and adult courts is that juvenile courts are more likely to consider extenuating circumstances (emotional, mental, situational, etc.). Frequently, young people will only be moved to adult courts if their crime was particularly heinous, a history of rehabilitation services have not improved the situation, the young person needs a significant about of intervention, or simply that the juvenile is nearly an adult. Though there is evidence of some past intervention on Gwendolyn's behalf, we have no evidence that the crime was planned. Though she was breaking the law and one could say that the possibility of an accident was a logical conclusion, there is (based on this) no evidence that she went out with the intention of hurting or killing someone. Also, given that she is still a minor and at an age when her reasoning abilities are not fully formed, she honestly may not have been able to make that connection. So, no, she should not be tried as an adult. However, she should serve actual time in a center, receiving rehabilitative services and completing community service in order to balance out some of the horror she has brought into the world through the death of a child.