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January 7, 2008

Barrington teen out of Training School, confined at home

PROVIDENCE -- After four nights at the state Training School, a Barrington teen was placed on home confinement today, pending a pretrial conference on charges of driving while impaired, fleeing the police, slamming his car into a wall and pinning a pedestrian beneath it.

The 17-year-old must turn in his driver’s license and undergo a substance abuse evaluation, and he is prohibited from playing high school sports as he awaits a pretrial conference in Family Court on Jan. 22. While the boy is on home confinement, the Robocuff voice-recognition system will place calls to his home to make sure he’s there.

“He can only leave the house with his parents,” Family Court Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah Jr. said.

On Thursday, Jeremiah had ordered the teen held at the Training School until today's probable-cause hearing.

During Thursday’s hearing, the attorney general’s office had recommended placing the teen on “strict home confinement” with the Robocuff system. But Jeremiah had accused state prosecutors of applying a “double standard,” saying that a day before prosecutors had recommended holding another youth at the Training School although that case did not involve alcohol or injury.

Prosecutors said the Barrington teen had no record, while the teen in other case did.

Extra: Read a transcript of the Family Court proceedings Thursday.

-- Journal staff writer Edward Fitzpatrick

Also on Thursday, a lawyer for the teen noted the state police had released the boy and had not brought him to court on an emergency petition. And that prompted Jeremiah to say, “Just because the police department is stupid doesn’t mean I’m going to be stupid.”

Before the Family Court session, state police Maj. Steven O’Donnell issued a statement from Col. Brendan Doherty, the state police superintendent, saying: “We are disappointed and troubled by the comments made by the chief judge of the Rhode Island Family Court.”

Speaking for himself, O’Donnell said, “Believe me, the state police recognize the carnage on the highways. The men and women in this department see it on a 24-hour/7-day-a-week basis.” But, he said, “We feel the state police acted properly in handling the incident in Colt State Park.”

And, he said, “It’s unfortunate that a person that is held in the highest regard by law enforcement would” make such a comment.

During the hearing, Jeremiah said he respects the state police, and he called them an “outstanding outfit.”

But he noted that teens can be held at the Training School for up to five days if they are determined to be a danger to the community or themselves, and he said he does not understand why this teen was not held at the Training School after his arrest.

Your turn: What do you think about teenage drinking?

Posted by Brandie Jefferson at 12:37 PM | Permalink

Comments

This is the reason why many people drink and drive..because they all get a slap on the wrist..whether or not they're a juvenile or an adult or whether or not they're from Barrington or Central Falls or whether this is their 1st offense or 10th. We need stricter laws..One day somebody's going to seriously get hurt and the offender's penalty? --loss of license..GREAT!

SH | January 7, 2008 2:22 PM link

AS A PARENT, MY ONLY THOUGHT IS THAT THE DANGERS OF UNDERAGE DRINKING HAVE TO BE TAUGHT IN THE HOME FIRST. IF YOUR CHILD(REN) DO BECOME INVOLVED IN UNDERAGE DRINKING, AS HARD AS IT IS, A PARENT SHOULD EXERCISE "TOUGH LOVE", LET THEM KNOW YOU SUPPORT AND LOVE THEM BUT FOR A FOOLISH, IMPULSIVE ACT SUCH AS THIS, THERE ARE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES - SOME OF THEM DEADLY. NOTHING IS GAINED BY TELLING YOUR CHILD TO REFUSE A BREATHALYZER TEST OR ANY OF THE OTHER LEGALITIES CONNECTED WITH THIS OFFENSE(S).

ROSETTA M DELUCA | January 7, 2008 2:53 PM link

I THINK THAT THE JUDGE WAS RIGHT IN PUTTING THIS IRRESPONSIBLE, IMMATURE, CHILD INTO THE TRAINING SCHOOL. WHAT WAS HE THINKING? OBVIOUSLY, THIS KID HAS NO RESPECT OR REGARD FOR HIS LIFE OR FOR THAT OF HIS PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH HE IS DRIVING IN. WHAT PART OF NO DRINKING UNDER 21 DOES HE NOT GET. DOES THIS KID THINK IT'S A JOKE AND THAT THERE WILL BE NO CONSEQUENCES, IF SOMEONE GETS HURT OR DIES? PEOPLE ARE DYING BECAUSE KIDS ARE BEING STUPID. ALCOHOL IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE FOOLED AROUND WITH. MY FATHER WAS HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER, HE LIVED THANK GOD BUT NEXT TIME IT COULD BE A CHILD WHO PAYS THE PRICE FOR A LITTLE BUZZ.

WDM | January 8, 2008 3:48 AM link

January 7, 2008

Barrington teen out of Training School, confined at home

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