A 16-year-old boy accused of participating in an armed robbery in North Little Rock last summer was ordered Monday to be prosecuted as a juvenile by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Herb Wright, who found evidence the teen could be rehabilitated after hearing testimony from his supporters.
Prosecutors had charged Keon Dewayne Burton as an adult with aggravated robbery after he confessed to North Little Rock police to participating in the June 2013 holdup of Myron Wright. Burton named the three other teens involved, Detective Clint O'Kelley testified, saying that Burton said another boy was the one who pointed a gun at Wright, who is no relation to the judge.
The judge transferred the case with extended juvenile jurisdiction, which will allow Burton to be returned to adult court if he's not deemed to have been rehabilitated by age 21.
Burton's story matched Wright's account of how the man was accosted by the bike-riding boys and what was stolen, the detective told the judge. None of the other boys would give statements, and Burton was the only one charged, O'Kelley said. He said Burton admitted to participating in "numerous" other robberies, claiming to have been pressured into them.
"He told me he didn't want to look weak," O'Kelley testified. "His answer was ... 'I do it because, like if I don't, they're [believing] I'm weak. I just do it to prove I'm not.'"
Defense witnesses presented by Burton's attorney Colleen Barnhart included Burton's aunt, Janice Harris, who blamed bad influences for his problems with the law.
She described him as respectful and deeply involved in his church. He's become more responsible and focused since he completed a term of incarceration with the state Division of Youth Services, she said.
Burton also was endorsed by Ted Bowsman, deacon of community outreach at the Levy Church of Christ where Burton has attended since elementary school.
He described the teen as very involved in church activities, with an interest in learning and service. Bowsman said the neighborhood can be challenging for a young person.
"Levy is a difficult place to get out of," he said. "There's a lot of peer pressure ... a lot of challenges."
The judge also heard testimony that Burton successfully completed counseling programs during six months of incarceration with the state Division of Youth Services that ended June 9.
He had been sent there after receiving misdemeanor convictions for criminal trespass, fleeing, theft by receiving and assault. He had been accused of aggravated robbery in the theft case, but the charges were dismissed after he admitted to the theft charge, according to testimony. He has a felony residential burglary case pending in juvenile court.
His juvenile probation officer, Dwayne Wilkins, told the judge that the teen had problems showing respect for authority. Burton's mother, Tina Ashford, who has four other children, cooperated with juvenile authorities as best she could, Wilkins testified. Ashford did not testify.
"She tries to do what's best for him," Wilkins said. "But I think she gets overwhelmed sometimes."
With deputy prosecutor Michael Wright noting that Burton had twice picked up new charges within a day of pleading guilty to other cases, the judge barred Burton from being outside his house without his mother present unless being taken by an adult to either the doctor or church.
Metro on 07/01/2014