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State Attorney General Pushes Teen to be Tried as an Adult


Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey is considering charging the teen involved in the Kaylee Gain beating as an adult.

The incident occurred on March 8th a mile from Hazelwood East High School, in which Gain suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed which put her in a coma for two weeks.

If you have yet to see it, watch the horrifying video here:

Fox News expands on comments from Bailey on the school:

Bailey told Fox News Digital exclusively that he would open an investigation into the Hazelwood School District and how their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs contributed to the safety failures following the violent attack.

“Hazelwood owes the parents of the district and the entire community an explanation as to what role these radical programs and safety failures played here,” Bailey’s staff said, emphasizing that this is the focus of the investigation

It adds comments from an attorney for the Hazelwood School District, Cindy Reeds Ownsby:

“It is disappointing to have an attorney general that intentionally disrespects public school district administrators and elected officials by sending error-filled correspondence to intimidate and threaten their leadership. It is surprising that you are opening an investigation based on lies that you could have easily ascertained if you would have taken a few minutes to fact-check prior to sending your correspondence,” Cindy Reeds Ownsby, an attorney for the Hazelwood School District wrote.

“Is that because you have assumed, without official verification, that the March 8th altercation was between a white student and a black student, while the other incidents were black-on-black student or student/teacher encounters? Do you value white students’ safety more than black students’ safety? Do you honestly believe, again, without any official verification or specific knowledge, that the fight on March 8th was a result of a racial issue between the female students that was caused by the HSD belief in the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion for all?” Ownsby stated in the email.

“I’m deeply concerned that the school where these teens were students has a history of promoting divisive racial ideology over the safety of its students,” Bailey said.

USA Today provides more on the future court processes:

On Monday, a St. Louis County, Missouri judge ruled that a certification hearing would be held next month to determine if the unidentified teenager will indeed be tried as a juvenile or adult.

The May 10 hearing will take this information, as well as other factors including the seriousness of the offense and violence of the crime, into account to determine if the juvenile may be tried as an adult.

The story adds comments from the defense:

“Our position is that she should not be certified,” Defense Attorney Greg Smith said in a statement. “We understand that the law says that there has to be a certification hearing based on what she has been charged with. That’s non-negotiable but our position is she should not be certified. Everything is out there, about her being an honor student, she has taken AP courses, she has no history with the juvenile court. She has been the victim of bullying. There are other facts that we are going to save for court.”

While it has yet to be determined whether the accused will be tried as an adult, the story has received national attention, and will continue to do so until a verdict is met.



 

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