Bill To Try More Va Juveniles as Adults Rejected

By: LARRY O'DELL

Associated Press

A Senate committee on Monday rejected legislation backed by Gov. Bob McDonnell that would have resulted in more juveniles being tried in adult court.

The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Bill Stanley of Franklin County, would have automatically transferred repeat violent offenders from juvenile court to adult court rather than leave the decision up to a judge. It also would have allowed prosecutors to have juveniles charged with certain gang crimes or repeat drug offenses transferred to circuit court for trial as an adult.

"Juveniles need to be as accountable as adults," Fredericksburg Commonwealth's Attorney LaBravia Jenkins told the committee.

But several other speakers said the bill is essentially a solution looking for a problem.

"Judges already are making these decisions appropriately," said University of Richmond law professor Julie McConnell, a former juvenile court prosecutor.

McConnell said that in her six years as a prosecutor, she never had a case that should have gone to circuit court but didn't.

Lindsey Lawson, a Fairfax County attorney and former juvenile probation officer, also said the system is working.

"Trust your judges," she said.

Several committee members said they were reluctant to take discretion from judges.

"I don't like the policy worth a durn," said Sen. Thomas K. Norment, R-James City and chairman of the committee.

Stanley, sensing his bill's likely demise, asked Norment to postpone a vote until Wednesday to give him time to amend it to address the opponents' concerns. But the chairman called for an immediate vote, saying there's another bill pending in the committee that Stanley can try to amend.

Several Republicans joined Democrats in voting 11-4 to kill the measure.

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