Youths facing rape count to be tried as adults
Two teenage boys charged with raping a 15-year-old girl before she died of alcohol poisoning were ordered yesterday to be tried as adults by Family Court Judge Lori Dumas-Brooks.
Two teenage boys charged with raping a 15-year-old girl before she died of alcohol poisoning were ordered yesterday to be tried as adults by Family Court Judge Lori Dumas-Brooks.
Shareef Clemons, 16, and Juan Williams, 17, had already been held for trial on charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and related offenses in the March 7 incident in Williams' home in which the boys and a schoolmate, Kierra Johnson, drank all day long after cutting school. While Kierra, whose blood-alcohol level at the time of her death was .433 - five times the legal limit for adults 21 and over - drifted in and out of consciousness, the boys allegedly took turns having sex with her, according to police.
There is no evidence to indicate that the boys caused Kierra's death, so they were not charged with murder, authorities said.
After Dumas-Brooks issued her ruling, both boys were taken into custody on $10,000 bail.
Dumas-Brooks' ruling yesterday elicited mixed reactions in court.
"We all believe that these guys are still kids and are too immature to appreciate the severity of their actions," Donald Chisholm, Juan Williams' attorney, said. "But at the end of the day, we hope that they can both go on and have productive lives."
Assistant District Attorney Eileen Hurley said, "We're very pleased with the judge's decision. This was a horrible violation of Kierra."
Kierra's mother, Ernestine Harding, who is raising Kierra's daughter, Jada, 1 1/2, since her death, said the ruling was bittersweet. "It's the ruling I wanted," Harding said. "But it didn't give me the comfort I thought it would."
Williams and Clemons are due back in court Oct. 23. *
