Anaheim Teen Faces Murder Charges After Fatal Stabbing of 12-Year-Old

An Anaheim teen faces a charge of murder in the stabbing death of a 12-year-old that police believe was related to a rivalry among graffiti crews, The Orange County Register reports.

Murder charges in Anaheim are the most serious that any person can face and therefore they require the most diligent defense possible. This is especially true for children charged with serious crimes. They often don't understand the possible punishments and the consequences of their actions. Orange County Defense Lawyers are prepared to defend any criminal charge.

The stabbing took place recently near Sycamore Junior High School. The 12-year-old was stabbed in the chest and later died at a nearby hospital. The stabbing occurred as the 12-year-old was walking home from school.

What this tragic story illustrates is that juveniles, especially boys, aren't fully developed until well into their 20s. Research has shown that the juvenile male brain hasn't developed the crucial areas of reasoning and consequences. That fact can help explain why it is that young boys commit crimes.

Orange County juvenile crime is serious because picking up a charge as a teenager can have serious implications. Not only can a criminal charge keep a teen from graduating high school, it can keep them from earning scholarships, gaining entry into college and the U.S. military.

But criminal charges also carry psychological problems for a teenager. Being thrust into the criminal justice system, which seeks to punish rather than rehabilitate, can scar them for life. And having to spend time in a county jail, alongside hardened criminals, can create bad influences they may not be able to overcome.

That's why hiring an experienced criminal defense team as soon as possible is crucial. Being able to study the facts, speak with the teen and their family to develop a defense strategy and attack the charges quickly may be the best way to help the juvenile get out of a bad situation. The juvenile justice system is designed to prevent teens from committing crimes in the future and there are steps to keep a teen from being tried as an adult that must be taken early on in the case.

But the story also points out an interesting issue. They said the arrest was made several hours after an interview with detectives at the Anaheim police station.

In a recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in J.D.B. V. North Carolina, justices were sharply divided, but ruled that the age of a person must be weighed when police decide to interrogate them. In the case, a 13-year-old was taken out of class to be questioned by police about two home break-ins. Justices ruled that teens may not feel they are free to leave a room or respond to officers' questions. The ruling doesn't say police can't interrogate juveniles, but it does leave some room for interpretation about Miranda rights, teenagers and hours-long interrogation sessions in a tiny room with police.

All of these matters of law are important in defending a juvenile, especially one charged with a heinous crime such as murder. They shouldn't make a statement to police because it can be used against them. But most juveniles do talk with police when they are suspected of a crime because they want to try to explain their way out of things. But this only hurts their chances in the future.

Murder charges and crimes charged to juveniles in Orange County are serious. Contact an Orange County criminal defense attorney at (714) 705-6701 as soon as possible to fight these allegations.

Additional Resources:

Teen charged with murder in stabbing of boy, By Sean Emery, Denisse Salazar, Eric Carpenter, The Orange County Register