The Milwaukee boy was 10 when he was charged in 2022 with shooting to death his mom. His relatives say he is deeply disturbed and hears voices.
Lawyers for a 12-year-old Wisconsin boy accused of shooting his mother in the face are fighting to keep his murder trial in the juvenile justice system, saying he will receive better care.
Hearings are underway in Milwaukee to decide whether to grant requests from the boy's defense attorneys to keep him from being tried in adult court, where he is currently charged with first-degree intentional homicide.
He was arrested in 2022, at age 10, after allegedly shooting his mother in the eye when she refused to order him a virtual reality headset, police said. The day after she was killed, the boy went online to his mother's Amazon account and ordered the device, police said.
Relatives have come forward since his arrest, saying the child exhibited increasingly concerning behavior, including saying he heard voices that told him to do bad things, according to local reports.
In the presence of his grandmother, the boy allegedly told authorities, "I’m really sorry for what happened. I’m sorry for killing my mom, " his criminal complaint alleges.
After he apologized for killing his mother, “he then asked if his Amazon package arrived," the complaint said.
On Monday, the boy's attorneys argued in court that he would receive better care in the juvenile system, where he could obtain counseling and other social services. He currently being held in a juvenile detention center.
"Prosecuting (him) as an adult would result in the longest period of supervision ever ordered in the history of our state," defense attorney Tanner Kilander said.
A psychologist testifying for the defense said the boy exhibited signs of a schizophrenic condition, but said the child would likely benefit from mental health treatment.
"Do you believe (the boy) can be rehabilitated in the delinquency system?" defense attorney Angela Cunningham asked.
"Yes, I'm very confident. His prognosis is very good," replied psychologist Michael Caldwell.
The prosecution argued that moving the boy would be harmful.
"To put him back into the juvenile system severely limits the protection to the public and ultimately the protection to (the child)," said Assistant Milwaukee County District Attorney Gil Urfer.
The judge in the case has issued an order banning the release of the boy's name, citing his age.
Testimony on the defense motion continued Tuesday and is expected to last through Wednesday, according to court documents.
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