Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — A Utah judge is considering whether a teenager accused of trying to blow up a homemade backpack bomb at a high school after looking at Islamic State propaganda should stand trial as an adult.
Defense attorneys argued Monday the 16-year-old has been bullied and suffers from a form of autism that keeps him from understanding the effects of his actions, The Spectrum newspaper in St. George reported. They say he should be in the rehabilitation-focused juvenile system.
The teen earned his Eagle Scout award at age 13 and got good grades in school, but also has few close friends and is seen as awkward, said defense attorney Matthew Harris.
"He could be my neighbor. He could be your neighbor," Harris said. "The question is, do we want to give him the resources he needs in order to function as a productive member of society, or do we want to label him and give him every opportunity to fail?"
The Associated Press does not typically identify juveniles accused of crimes.
Prosecutors, though, argued he is a threat, and should face the possibility of more serious punishment in adult court. The teen is also accused of hanging a homemade ISIS flag on a pole at another southern Utah high school.
"He planned more fear and terror," prosecutor Angela Adams said. "There is no evidence or reason to think he wouldn't do it again if he were not in a secure facility. He's already stated his desire to do it again. He's shown no remorse and no empathy for the victims who were affected."
The teenager is charged with felony attempted murder and using a weapon of mass destruction, as well as misdemeanor graffiti and abuse of a flag.
The charges were filed after the smoking backpack was found in a common area of Pine View High School in March. It failed to explode and no one was hurt. Investigators found no known connections between the boy and the terror group.
He was also charged of using spray paint to write "ISIS is comi_" on a school wall at Hurricane High School in February. In that case, police say he cut up an American flag at that school, replacing it on a flag pole with a homemade ISIS flag.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
