NEW ORLEANS — Two 15-year-old boys will be tried as adults for killing an innocent woman who was delivering food to family members.
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams is breaking his campaign promise to keep kids out of adult court, but he said it's in the best interest of the people of New Orleans.
Anita Irvin-LeViege is remembered as a loving, God-fearing, smart and successful woman whose life was cut too short. While dropping off food to family Jan. 3, she and her dog were shot and killed during an attempted carjacking in New Orleans East. Two 15-year-olds, Que'dyn Growe and Demond Thomas, now face second-degree murder and armed robbery charges in adult court.
"The limitations of the juvenile sentencing guidelines would be inadequate in holding young people accountable for heinous crimes," Williams said Monday. "My decision to prosecute this murder and armed robbery committed by juveniles in criminal court is not at all taken lightly but it is right and it is just."
Loyola law professor Dane Ciolino isn't surprised by the DA's decision.
"People in the community know juveniles, if charged as juveniles, aren't going to spend a lot of time in jail, so older kids recruit younger ones to commit crimes," Ciolino said.
"Then we need to go after those adults and hold them accountable. I don't think its appropriate to send a message to adults by treating children more harshly," said Aaron Clark-Rizzio with the Louisiana Center for Children's Rights. "The DA's decision is more of the same. We've tried this and it hasn't made our city safer so what we need to do is be investing in our children and investing in solutions."
LeViege's family feels some relief. Her father said, "It's in the courts hands now. All we can do is sit back and wait and hope and pray."
Monday, Williams made it clear he won't hesitate to make the same decision again.
"If you have a young person listening to you, I need to be abundantly clear: A bad decision to commit a murder in New Orleans will require accountability and you will see accountability in criminal court along with any and all adults who play any role small or large involved in that case," Williams said.
"This is designed to send that message of general deterrence to the community, that game's not going to work," Ciolino said.
If convicted, the juveniles could face life in prison, but would be eligible for parole after serving 25 years.