But to be tried as an adult? You have this young man that you- that didn't have one blemish on his record, sent away as an adult- tried as an adult. JANICE VENUS-RAMOS: He did the crime, and he had to be held accountable. I don’t think that in most cases it’s appropriate to process a fourteen-year-old, a fifteen-year-old through the adult system unless it’s merited. When you’re 14 or 15 years old, even if you commit a violent felony, the potential is great for rehabilitation. They’re impacted and influenced to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do, and that needs to be taken into consideration. It surprised me why the prosecutor would file it in adult court because the robbery was botched and it was botched because he was a fifteen-year-old youngster. SALA, Alonza’s defense attorney: Alonza Thomas was the first minor tried as an adult under Prop 21 in Kern County.ĬAITLIN McNALLY: Was Alonza a juvenile superpredator? And their right, frankly, trumps and ex post facto sob story. What people have to remember is that a lot of people out there who were trying to make a living, have a right not to be terrified. REPORTER: Opponents say the measure would sweep more youth into the criminal justice system in a state that already locks up more kids per capita than any other.ĮD JAGELS: These crimes are dangerous. JIM LEHRER: In California, a zero tolerance youth crime initiative is on the March 7 ballot. And that is why Proposition 21 came about. We were walking around basically unarmed in terms of our penal statutes when it came to juveniles. REPORTER: Proponents argue stern measures are necessary to combat rising youth crimeĮD JAGELS, Kern County D.A.: Many of the worst super predators were juveniles and they were being referred to a system that was created to handle bad boys. PETE WILSON: Youth is no excuse for committing murder, rape, robbery, home invasions or for terrorizing entire neighborhoods. REPORTER: Alarming news reports describing teens as time bombs and superpredators. You have a lot of adrenaline running through you at the time, so you’re not really thinking till after, and then it all started sinking in that this is really, um, uh, a kid. NASSRI JABER: And then we held him at gunpoint until the cops came. Get me out of this and I’ll be a good boy. The store clerks hopped on top of me and started beating me.ĪLONZA THOMAS: I said, “God if you get me out of this, I swear I’ll be good. No customers in the store.ĪLONZA THOMAS: When the gun went off, it snapped me to attention, I was like vacate the premises. NASSRI JABER, Fastrip owner: I hit my hand down like that. I put my gun to the guy’s chest, and I said empty up. And all those movies, when they pulled their gun out, they held it like this. But you’re gonna do this for me.”ĪLONZA THOMAS: It was a Fastrip gas station.ĪLONZA THOMAS: I remember seeing gangster movies, “Menace II Society,” “Boyz n the Hood,” where they had guns. The way he made it sound like was this: “If you do it for me and you do it successfully, I’ll probably even give you some of the money. And he said, “You think you’re gonna eat my food for free? Live in my house and just walk out? And things that come free like that? No, nothing’s free.” He said, “No, you’re gonna have to rob this store.” But when he came back out, he came back out with a gun. I thought, “You know what? I’m just gonna try to go home.” He said, “You’re going home?” So he left and went in the room. Did I want to stay there for a little while. I’m not that strong.ĪLONZA THOMAS: I wasn’t a hellion or nothing like that, or just like the worst kid. I have thirteen years.” I don’t know if I could do it. I was just like, “Ya know, I am not one of them. And there were guys filled with them at capacity. They had cages like they would have at the zoo but they were sectioned off, right. Here’s a glimpse into my past to help you better understandĮverything that I am not makes me who I amĪLONZA THOMAS: I was 16. This was my last resort I ain’t no stickup kid It was mistakes that brought me to this placeĪnd hands I would trade because it made me a slaveīondage and a cage frustration I’m enraged ALONZA THOMAS: Here’s a glimpse into my past
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