Prosecutors seek to try accused Central High School shooter as adult

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Posted: 12:31 PM Aug 28, 2008 Prosecutors seek to try accused Central High School shooter as adult Prosecutors want to try a 15-year-old charged with fatally shooting a classmate in his school cafeteria in Knoxville as an adult.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Prosecutors want to try a 15-year-old charged with fatally shooting a classmate in his school cafeteria in Knoxville as an adult.

John Gill, special assistant to the district attorney, said Thursday a petition will be filed to move Jamar Siler from juvenile court to adult criminal court, where the potential penalty would rise exponentially.

Siler is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 15-year-old Ryan McDonald last week at Central High School. If convicted in juvenile court he could not be incarcerated past the age of 19. In adult court, the sentence could be at least 51 years in prison.

A juvenile court judge will decide at a hearing on Oct. 9.

Latest Comments

Posted by: midnightwriter Location: east tn on Sep 2, 2008 at 12:51 AM

These cases are bothersome; exactly where do we draw the line? We tell children under 18 that they can only drive certain hours, cannot drink, cannot vote, cannot enter into contracts, all because they are children and therefore lack the culpability to do the aforementioned. But when they commit a crime, suddendly they are culpable?? I am in no way attempting to take away the tragedy of this event..I'm just wondering out loud where it would or could end.

Posted by: walking contradiction on Aug 31, 2008 at 08:36 AM

Just as this young murderer observed his step-sister getting away with taking a life others will see him as an example as well. I'm sure he thought he was "grown" when he took that gun into school, when he made this life changing decision, now he should be treated like the adult that he thought he was! He took a life, he does not deserve to resume his normally in just a few years!

Posted by: Beth Location: Knox on Aug 29, 2008 at 10:35 AM

He killed a boy,he deserves to get life in prison.He will get counseling,support,rehabilitation in prison at tax payers expense-the other boy will have no chance to live,his family will never talk to him in this world again.it seems as if Siler is getting the best end of the deal to me.

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