Fix Loophole in Georgia's Juvenile Justice System: Marietta Police

MARIETTA, GA -- The Marietta Police Department is speaking out about what it feels is a flaw in the justice system's practice of allowing juveniles to escape harsh prison sentences for crimes against police officers.

In a Facebook post Monday, the Marietta force spoke with unusual candor about a "loophole" that let two teenagers who opened fire on Officer Scott Davis in August 2016 be referred to juvenile detention rather than hard time.

Davis suffered a gunshot wound in August 2016 when he responded to a car break-in in the middle of the night on Franklin Road, as Patch previously reported. Local authorities had intentions of charging the teens -- one 15-year-old and the other, a 16-year-old -- with a litany of crimes, including aggravated assault on a police officer, entering auto, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and theft by receiving.

But when the court case rolled around, the law did not come down hard on the boys, despite both of them having criminal records, even belonging to the Blood street gang.

"In the view of the Marietta Police Department and Cobb District Attorney’s Office, there is a weakness or loophole in Georgia’s juvenile law that allows juveniles to shoot law enforcement officers, or for that matter anyone, and suffer little or no consequence, often to return and shoot someone else," Marietta PD said Monday.

"Thus, this entire issue was brought to the attention of Representative Bert Reeves who conferred with other Georgia legislators who were contemplating the same problem. As a result, Rep. Reeves will be submitting his [proposed] legislative change to the current session of the Georgia General Assembly."

Reeves, a Republican, sponsored House Bill 874 last year, which mandates a five-year prison sentence to criminals who use cell phones to conduct gang activity. The bill passed the House, 106-60, as Patch previously reported.

The new bill would ferry hardened but young criminals out of the state juvenile justice system and into Superior Court, Marietta police said.

"The Marietta Police Department, Cobb District Attorney’s Office and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police support the legislation and it is our hope other elected and appointed officials will join in that support when they become aware of the legislation," the police said on Facebook.

Reeves, a Republican, was sworn in for his second term in the Georgia House of Representatives earlier this month. He represents District 34, which includes Marietta and parts of Kennesaw.

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