A 15-year-old boy in Florida whose mother is a Canadian diplomat may face criminal charges following his alleged involvement in a drug deal that went wrong and left two people dead including the boy’s 17-year-old brother. The other dead individual was a 17-year-old suspected of dealing drugs.
According to reports, the boy and his older brother went to a drug dealer in Miami to purchase $5,000 worth of marijuana. Authorities say that a shootout erupted that left the two dead. Another suspected drug dealer, a 19-year-old man, fled the scene and was later taken into custody on charges of intent to distribute marijuana and felony murder.
The 15-year-old was taken into custody on March 30 and was charged with felony murder. He was later released on house arrest with a $150,000 bond. On May 27, prosecutors announced that a grand jury would decide whether charges would be filed against him. The boy’s attorney said that he would plead not guilty to any charges.
A person who is facing criminal charges like these may wish to consult an attorney in order to determine how to proceed. A defendant might argue that they were not on the scene at all or that they were not involved in the activity that occurred. Some types of evidence might be brought into question. For example, eyewitness accounts are often unreliable. In a case like this one when the defendant accompanies another to a place where criminal activity occurs, it could also be claimed that the defendant did not know the activity was going to take place.
Source: Yahoo News, “Florida grand jury to mull charges against Canadian diplomat’s son,” Zachary Fagenson, May 28, 2015
