Virgina stats on Murder convictions

[Christy]

This is probably a Ken King question, but does anyone know the track record for Virginia in prosecuting murder cases? I have a special interest in this murder case.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/1523159/detail.html

And need info on following it's progress after it's dropped out of the news. Any suggestions?

 

[Sharon]

Have you tried to contact the State Attorney's Office? You may not get very far if the perps were underage.

 

[Christy]

I read in the news that they were going to be charged as adults. When they do that, do they release their names? I wonder how often the push for the death penalty in VA?

 

[Sharon]

I don't know if they will release their names to the public, I don't see why not. They did here when those kids robbed the convenience store (StM) a few years ago. They led the police on a wild goose chase all afternoon and into Calvert, after shooting at a cop.

I suppose they will but it may not make the big papers. Is there some way you can get a local paper?

 

[missi1013]

They should be charged as adults! An Asian gang...Please

 

[Christy]

They've been running HUGE stories on it on all the news stations for the past few days. I'm hoping they continue, will put a lot of pressure on the prosecuters to not let these kids off easy.

 

[Christy]

The boy that was murdered was my niece's "first love". He moved up here from Texas. It's a shame really, the kid was just trying to break up a fight.

 

[missi1013]

I say throw them in jail forever!!!! Or if they want to be part of an Asian gang, then send them to Asia. But I hate to say it, there just kids, and they'll get off! Welcome to the USA court system!!!

 

[Sharon]

No, I don't think they will get off. They may or may not get death, but they will go to the bighouse.

 

[Christy]

I'm hoping that since Virginia is a predominantly Conservative State, they'll nail them to the wall. I'm sure if it happened in Montgomery County, MD, they'd be sent to therepy and vocational rehabilitation.

The real awful part of it, was his younger brother saw the whole thing and was desperately trying to pull these A-holes off of him.

 

[Sharon]

That is just so sad. Hopefully VA is tougher than MD would be.

 

[Sharon]

Maybe since it's gang related, these kids may have prior juvie records and the court will be tougher that if they were 1st timers.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by Christy
This is probably a Ken King question, but does anyone know the track record for Virginia in prosecuting murder cases? I have a special interest in this murder case.

Christy,

It appears that Virginia is running around the 75% national average conviction rate (2000 data). So chances are that these people will get what they deserve. As far as the "charged as an adult" issue with the age of the defendants already at 17 and the nature of the brutal offense you can bet that Virginia will go after them in the adult arena (as it should be).