A Franklin County investigation into an assault and three robberies has led police to four Ohio teens. The prosecutor’s office for Franklin County wants to file felony charges against the teens alleging that they are a criminal gang. Police say they have obtained video footage of the teens during the commission of two of the crimes.
One of the tapes is said to be from an area library and the other from a bus belonging to COTA. It is not said whether the teens are easily identifiable on the tapes, nor has it been said what the teens are seen doing on those tapes. At a juvenile court hearing, the magistrate did not view the tapes that allegedly implicate the four young men perpetrating the crimes they are accused of committing.
As a matter of fact, the prosecutor indicated at that hearing that the boys should be held at the juvenile detention center to keep them from threatening or intimating anyone in connection with the case. The judge did not deem that necessary since this was the first time the boys had come into the criminal justice system, and the boys’ parents agreed to produce them at trial. Therefore, the magistrate chose electronic monitoring to keep track of the accused boys in the meantime.
The felony charges these four teenagers are facing carry serious penalties and could potentially adversely affect the rest of their lives. It would be beneficial to them to find out exactly what they are facing. A review of the both the physical evidence, the security footage and any witness statements will surely help in the preparation of a defense. It is the burden of the state of Ohio to prove the charges, and when there are multiple defendants involved, common sense dictates that the accused must be prepared.
Source: 10tv.com, “Teens To Be Charged As Criminal Gang,” Tanisha Mallett, April 23, 2013