A coalition of community organizers is calling on Dallas County District Attorney Faith Johnson to prosecute a group of teenagers arrested in connection to a string of armed robberies as juveniles rather than adults.
Wednesday, the Texas Organizing Project, Color of Change, and Faith in Texas went to the DA's office to drop off copies of an online petition signed by more than 20,000 people, demanding that she withdraw a motion to have the teens tried as adults.
The group said many of the signatures came from Dallas County, but acknowledged that others came from out of the region and out of state.
They stressed they're not trying to excuse what the teens allegedly did, but that they believe it's more appropriate for prosecutors to seek justice in the juvenile court system. They also suggested that race may have played a factor in the DA's decision to file the motion, as all six of the teens are black.
"These children ...they should be tried in the system that this state set up for them," said Reverend Edwin Robinson, a leader of the Faith in Texas group. "Just because we want them to have the harshest punishment possible, that should not make us [say] being tried in the juvenile system is a slap on the wrist."
The teens, ranging in age from 13 to 16, were arrested back in July following a violent crime spree. Surveillance video captured them pulling a shotgun out on a couple walking their dog, forcing them to the ground, and robbing them.
They're also accused of stealing a car, robbing a pizza delivery man, and robbing a person who was walking home.
Because none of the teens have been officially charged as adults, juvenile privacy laws bar the public release of their names.
Several of the victims told prosecutors and NBC 5 they wanted the teens charged as adults, fearing that prosecuting them in the juvenile court system would result in probation rather than jail time.
It was after consulting with the victims that the DA's office made the decision to file the motion.
In a statement to NBC 5, a spokesperson for the DA's office said it was not appropriate for them to comment on the case because of juvenile privacy laws.
As for the petitions the group submitted to them, they had this to say:
"The District Attorney respects the rights of citizens to peacefully protest and lodge petitions. Any petition submitted to this office will be carefully reviewed and taken under advisement.”
