KY juveniles could be tried as adults for gun-related crimes
Frankfort, Ky. (WTVQ) — In Frankfort a bill is moving forward that would allow juveniles, convicted of felonies with a gun, to be tried as adults.
Senate Bill 20 passed a house committee this week. It’s now going to the full house for consideration.
Senator Matthew Deneen, who sponsored SB 20, spoke about what prompted the bill.
“We see this all across the commonwealth and it’s an unfortunate trend that we see happening, but it’s one that we must deal with,” said Sen. Deneen. “We must hold folks accountable for those acts, because they are life threatening acts. We see too many juveniles settling their arguments and using guns to do so.”
He explains that any juvenile from age 15 to 17 that commits a class A, B or C felony would automatically be transferred to the circuit court.
Representative Lindsey Burke has one major concern about the bill.
“The epidemic of youth gun violence is absolutely something we can’t deny,” said Rep. Burke. “Every day communities in Kentucky are troubled by what’s happening with young people and their access to guns. But the shocking thing about this bill is that it doesn’t offer any new solutions.”
Burke says while the bill appears to have judicial discretion, it actually does not.
The bill states that a circuit court judge must determine that in a list of 10 factors, one or none are present for the case to be sent to district.
And with two factors being a violent crime and a gun being used, Burke says two or more factors are always present.
“So even if they were to look at the other factors and see something like this young person actually has an intellectual disability, there’s no way that they understood the dangerousness and problematic action that they were taking,” said Rep. Burke. “The judge would still be bound to try them in the higher level court.”
This is something Burke hopes to fix when the bill is presented to the house.
Senator Deneen says he is always willing to review this bill and consider others that address the issue of youth gun violence.
“And most of the juvenile gun violent crimes, most of their victims are other juveniles. And that is very concerning, as a parent myself,” said Deneen.
