Teen accused of shooting NFL player Ricky Pearsall to be tried as a minor
SAN FRANCISCO (NBC, KYMA) - The teenager accused of shooting 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall last year will be tried as a minor, not as a adult.
A judge in San Francisco announced Friday the case will remain in the juvenile court system.
It comes after a weeklong hearing for the now-18 year old. He was 17 when Pearsall was shot during an attempted robbery in Union Square.
During court Friday, Pearsall's mother read a statement, shared family photos and urged the judge to transfer the case to adult court.
After the hearing, public defender Bob Dunlap expressed relief, saying the teen could have been looking at life in prison if convicted of attempted murder as an adult.
"Now we have to adjudicate the charges still again this wasn't a trial on the merits of guilt or innocence this is just what forum he should stay in juvenile or go to adult so now it becomes a question of do you go to trail on the merits of the case or can we resolve it with an admission," Dunlap shared.
District attorney Brooke Jenkin's released a statement afterwards saying:
"I firmly believe that in most cases juvenile court is appropriate for minors. Nevertheless when I have concerns that the juvenile justice system is not suitable to rehabilitate the minor before juvenile jurisdiction terminates. It is my duty to seek a transfer hearing so that that a judicial officer can review all the evidence and decide if a minor is suitable for juvenile treatment."
