Court Reverses Youth’s Murder Convition
An appellate court Monday reversed the murder conviction of a 13-year-old athlete who struck and killed a fellow Pony League player with a baseball bat, ruling that the boy did not intend to murder but acted out of passion.
Instead, the court declared the boy guilty of voluntary manslaughter and ordered that he be re-sentenced.
The ruling adds a new dimension to a case that rattled the community where the killing took place, and raised questions about the increasingly contentious nature of youth sports. Witnesses said that before the attack, the victim had taunted and bullied the boy about losing a game.
The ultimate impact of the appeals decision was unclear because the defendant, whose name is being withheld because of his age, was placed in the custody of state juvenile officials, who generally have the authority to keep offenders until age 25.
