For discussion purposes only, from http://web.philly.com/content/inquirer/2000/11/04/city/PBARTRAM04.htm
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
D.A. vows to appeal parole for teen
By Julie Stoiber
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Expressing outrage that the teen convicted of shooting the Bartram High School vice principal outside a classroom last fall would serve no jail time, District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham yesterday said she would file a petition asking Common Pleas Court Judge Gary S. Glazer to reconsider the sentence.
"Judge Glazer has shattered the expectations of every law-abiding citizen in the community," Abraham said. "What it says is, you can get a free shooting in Philadelphia."
On Thursday, citing Eric Coxen's age and otherwise clean record, Glazer sentenced the 16-year-old to house arrest at his grandmother's home in Southwest Philadelphia and ordered him to go to school and get drug treatment. Coxen will be on parole for 111/2 to 23 months, followed by 16 years on probation.
"Mr. Coxen is probably laughing all the way down the street," Abraham said. "You can bring a gun to school, shoot up the school, and walk."
Coxen, who was tried as an adult in a nonjury trial in September, was found guilty of aggravated assault, two counts of reckless endangerment, and weapons offenses.
He shot school official William F. Burke in the thigh on Oct. 4, 1999, during a scuffle after Burke tried to break up a fight that had erupted in a social-studies class.
The bullet, from a .25-caliber handgun Coxen was carrying in his pants pocket, then lodged in the tennis shoe of teacher Vincent Hawkins.
Coxen, a freshman at the time, faced a maximum of 34 years in prison, and his lawyer and family members said they thought he was headed for jail.
But Glazer said he believed it was "totally inappropriate" to put Coxen in a state prison with hardened criminals.
"This is a terrible offense that has been committed, but it does not have to be fatal," Glazer said at the sentencing. "It does not have to destroy his life."
A staff member at Glazer's office said yesterday that the judge had been on the bench all day and did not know about Abraham's petition.
Abraham said her next step would be to appeal the sentence in Superior Court.
Coxen's grandfather, Orville Coxen of Skippack, was dismayed at the news.
"That's the district attorney's job," he said. "To me, the judge was very understanding in stepping back and saying, 'Maybe this is a youth we can do something with.' "
Julie Stoiber's e-mail address is jstoiber@phillynews.com [/quote]
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
D.A. vows to appeal parole for teen
By Julie Stoiber
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Expressing outrage that the teen convicted of shooting the Bartram High School vice principal outside a classroom last fall would serve no jail time, District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham yesterday said she would file a petition asking Common Pleas Court Judge Gary S. Glazer to reconsider the sentence.
"Judge Glazer has shattered the expectations of every law-abiding citizen in the community," Abraham said. "What it says is, you can get a free shooting in Philadelphia."
On Thursday, citing Eric Coxen's age and otherwise clean record, Glazer sentenced the 16-year-old to house arrest at his grandmother's home in Southwest Philadelphia and ordered him to go to school and get drug treatment. Coxen will be on parole for 111/2 to 23 months, followed by 16 years on probation.
"Mr. Coxen is probably laughing all the way down the street," Abraham said. "You can bring a gun to school, shoot up the school, and walk."
Coxen, who was tried as an adult in a nonjury trial in September, was found guilty of aggravated assault, two counts of reckless endangerment, and weapons offenses.
He shot school official William F. Burke in the thigh on Oct. 4, 1999, during a scuffle after Burke tried to break up a fight that had erupted in a social-studies class.
The bullet, from a .25-caliber handgun Coxen was carrying in his pants pocket, then lodged in the tennis shoe of teacher Vincent Hawkins.
Coxen, a freshman at the time, faced a maximum of 34 years in prison, and his lawyer and family members said they thought he was headed for jail.
But Glazer said he believed it was "totally inappropriate" to put Coxen in a state prison with hardened criminals.
"This is a terrible offense that has been committed, but it does not have to be fatal," Glazer said at the sentencing. "It does not have to destroy his life."
A staff member at Glazer's office said yesterday that the judge had been on the bench all day and did not know about Abraham's petition.
Abraham said her next step would be to appeal the sentence in Superior Court.
Coxen's grandfather, Orville Coxen of Skippack, was dismayed at the news.
"That's the district attorney's job," he said. "To me, the judge was very understanding in stepping back and saying, 'Maybe this is a youth we can do something with.' "
Julie Stoiber's e-mail address is jstoiber@phillynews.com [/quote]