11-year-old Fresno girl who threw rock spared felony trial

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

FRESNO, Calif. - An 11-year-old girl charged with assault with a deadly weapon for throwing a rock at a boy during a water balloon fight was ordered to attend a mediation program with her young victim after her trial was scrapped in juvenile court.

Maribel Cuevas was prepared to face a felony trial Wednesday when lawyers reached a deal behind closed doors that allowed her to escape detention and avoid pleading guilty.

Cuevas was arrested in April for throwing a two-pound rock at a neighborhood boy, Elijah Vang, who had pelted her with a water-filled balloon. The rock gashed the boy's forehead, and the girl spent five days in Fresno's juvenile hall and a month under house arrest after police said she resisted arrest and scratched an officer's arm.

Since then, the girl's behavior and law enforcement's response to it has become water cooler and editorial page staples far from Fresno. The girl's parents joined church leaders and the state chapter of the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network in a vigil last week. They say the felony charge in no way matches her childish crime. But Fresno's mayor and police chief say Maribel's case was handled appropriately, and that assault with a deadly weapon is the proper charge for an act that might have had fatal consequences.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/12287782.htm

[XemaSab]

1. Alan Autry (the mayor) is an ass...

n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. Aw, now they made the Punishist Brigade cry. (nt)

[GOPisEvil]

3. I still maintain that it's wrong to release her name. She's a minor.

Having her juvenile record sealed when she turns 18 will mean nothing.

However, I hope she changes her behavior and has learned something.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. I agree. When I saw the post on matcom news, I tried to go looking

for the law. There is something wrong about that.

[madaboutharry]

4. This country is turning into an asylumn.

I read some shit like this and I can't help hating this world.