02-23-2011, 12:38 AM
a juvenile!
even if florida tries him as an adult, he cannot get death penalty.
LWOP is a long time when you're 16.
ST. PETERSBURG - A full 24 hours after Officer David Crawford was fatally shot, police in St. Petersburg say they have arrested a suspect. Nicholas Lindsey, who turned 16 last week, will be charged with murder.
“It's hard,” Chief Chuck Harmon observed in announcing the arrest. “Even though this is a 16-year-old kid that we're talking about, he still murdered a police officer.”
Crawford, 46, was responding to a report of a prowler in the Campbell Park neighborhood at 10:30 Monday night when he spotted the suspect. A nearby officer heard gunshots, then found Crawford critically wounded next to his cruiser.
A massive manhunt initially failed to turn up the gunman, or even his identity. All day Tuesday, detectives could only muster a vague description of their suspect. Surveillance video from the area showed only the back of a hooded person.
But during the course of the day, investigators received three key tips that eventually zeroed in on Lindsey, who has a record of property crimes but nothing violent. The teenager voluntarily came in for questioning with his parents, whom Chief Harmon described as cooperative.
But his story changed several times during the interview, Harmon said, and Lindsey ultimately confessed.
“At the end of the day, it was quite apparent that he was remorseful in his actions. He cried,” Harmon recalled.
Lindsey, a student in the Pinellas County school system, was expected to be charged with first-degree murder as a juvenile. It will be up to the State Attorney's Office to decide if he will be tried as an adult.
“It doesn't take away the pain, if that makes any sense,” Harmon continued. “I feel for the juvenile's family. But at the same time, he needs to be held accountable for his actions.”
even if florida tries him as an adult, he cannot get death penalty.
LWOP is a long time when you're 16.
ST. PETERSBURG - A full 24 hours after Officer David Crawford was fatally shot, police in St. Petersburg say they have arrested a suspect. Nicholas Lindsey, who turned 16 last week, will be charged with murder.
“It's hard,” Chief Chuck Harmon observed in announcing the arrest. “Even though this is a 16-year-old kid that we're talking about, he still murdered a police officer.”
Crawford, 46, was responding to a report of a prowler in the Campbell Park neighborhood at 10:30 Monday night when he spotted the suspect. A nearby officer heard gunshots, then found Crawford critically wounded next to his cruiser.
A massive manhunt initially failed to turn up the gunman, or even his identity. All day Tuesday, detectives could only muster a vague description of their suspect. Surveillance video from the area showed only the back of a hooded person.
But during the course of the day, investigators received three key tips that eventually zeroed in on Lindsey, who has a record of property crimes but nothing violent. The teenager voluntarily came in for questioning with his parents, whom Chief Harmon described as cooperative.
But his story changed several times during the interview, Harmon said, and Lindsey ultimately confessed.
“At the end of the day, it was quite apparent that he was remorseful in his actions. He cried,” Harmon recalled.
Lindsey, a student in the Pinellas County school system, was expected to be charged with first-degree murder as a juvenile. It will be up to the State Attorney's Office to decide if he will be tried as an adult.
“It doesn't take away the pain, if that makes any sense,” Harmon continued. “I feel for the juvenile's family. But at the same time, he needs to be held accountable for his actions.”