If You Aren't Old Enough to Vote

You should be charged as a juvenile unless you have been emancipated.

Boy, 12, Charged As Adult in Arson Death: "A 12-year-old boy was charged as an adult with homicide and arson for allegedly setting a house fire that killed his 11-year-old cousin, state police said.

Police said Djinn Buckingham told them he spilled tiki torch fuel in a hallway outside the girl's room and lit the fire with matches, according to a police affidavit. He said he thought he put the fire out, then went downstairs before hearing screams, the affidavit said.

Sierra Carranza died in the Dec. 9 fire in Polk Township, in east-central Pennsylvania. Her mother, her siblings and Buckingham escaped.

Michael Mancuso, a Monroe County assistant district attorney, said it wasn't clear why the boy allegedly started the fire, although he added that Buckingham and the girl apparently had argued earlier.

Police said Wednesday that Buckingham was charged as an adult and taken to the Monroe County jail. A date for a preliminary hearing was not announced.

Mancuso said when a defense lawyer is appointed the court may be petitioned to prosecute Buckingham as a juvenile."

I should hope so.

Tags: law, juvenile, buckhingham