BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates is renewing calls for change to Maryland’s juvenile justice law after a 12-year-old accused of causing a deadly crash in a stolen car could not be criminally charged because of his age.
FOX45 News is now pressing state lawmakers for answers about whether they believe the law should change as well. However, despite repeated requests for comment, several key lawmakers have yet to respond.
“Am I upset? Am I angry? I’m hurt and I’m very frustrated,” Bates said during a press conference last week. “I keep knocking my head against the wall and nobody’s listening.”
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His frustration stems from a crash that killed 69-year-old Barry Wright, who was riding his motorcycle in west Baltimore when police say a 12-year-old driving a stolen vehicle ran a red light and struck him.
Under Maryland’s juvenile justice reforms, passed in 2022, children younger than age 13 generally cannot be charged criminally except for certain serious offenses. Involuntary manslaughter is not among the exceptions, leaving prosecutors unable to pursue criminal charges against the child accused in Wright’s death.
Instead, Bates said the only legal avenue available is a Child in Need of Supervision (CINS) referral, which addresses a child’s need for services rather than imposing criminal penalties.
Adding to Bates’ frustration is his revelation that the 12-year-old was already under the supervision of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) for a prior offense when the deadly crash occurred.
He’s already under the supervision of DJS. So what are we doing here?” Bates said. “At the end of the day, my frustration is at a whole other level.”
Bates argues the law leaves prosecutors with few options to hold young offenders accountable, even when their alleged actions result in someone’s death.
“We’re not asking for jail. We are asking about accountability,” he said.
The state’s attorney is now vowing to take his concerns back to Annapolis during the next legislative session, urging lawmakers to reconsider the consequences of the reforms.
“Your decisions about laws have collateral consequences and understand how you have a lot of power,” Bates said.
But where do Maryland’s top lawmakers stand? Following Bates’ remarks, FOX45 News contacted Senate President Bill Ferguson and lawmakers serving on the House Judiciary and Senate Judicial Proceedings committees, which handle legislation involving criminal justice. Last week, FOX45 News sent them the following questions:
- Do you agree with Bates that Maryland’s current juvenile justice laws need to be revisited, particularly when a child under 13 is accused of an offense resulting in someone’s death?
- Bates also revealed that the 12-year-old was already under Department of Juvenile Services supervision for a prior offense. Does this raise concerns about the effectiveness of the state’s juvenile supervision system?
- Would you support introducing or backing legislation during the upcoming General Assembly session to address these concerns? If so, what specific changes would you propose?
- For lawmakers who support keeping the current law in place, how do you respond to concerns that it limits accountability in cases like this one?
Days later, FOX45 News has not received responses from those lawmakers.
FOX45 News also contacted Gov. Wes Moore‘s office, which provided a statement emphasizing that public safety remains the governor’s top priority. However, the statement did not directly address whether Moore believes the law should be changed. It reads as follows:
Governor Moore and the First Lady are praying for Barry Wright’s family and community who lost a loved one all too soon in this tragic incident. The Governor’s number one priority is public safety, and the State has relentlessly worked with local law enforcement and community organizations to continue driving down crime in Baltimore and across Maryland. Our system must have the tools it needs to treat crimes of violence with the severity they deserve. Governor Moore will continue working collaboratively with the General Assembly and local leaders on public safety solutions that close gaps and prioritize ensuring all Marylanders feel safe in their communities.”
FOX45 News followed up Monday, specifically asking the governor’s office for a yes-or-no answer on whether he supports revisiting the law. As of Monday, no additional response had been received.
Meanwhile, Bates said the consequences of the current law extend far beyond the courtroom, leaving grieving families without the accountability they are seeking.
“Nobody had to have that conversation with that family like I did,” Bates said. “It was literally the most difficult conversation I have ever had in this job.”
Source: foxbaltimore.com
