PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A third suspect wanted in connection with the fatal attack that resulted in the death of 73-year-old James Lambert has been released from police custody and will not be charged, Philadelphia’s district attorney says. A 13-year-old girl turned herself in to the police on Wednesday afternoon with her mom, attorney and other relatives shielding her.
Her attorney said a warrant was issued for her on third-degree murder charges, but she has since walked out of police custody and the Philadelphia district attorney says she is not being charged.
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“I understand that this is a very serious situation and that these children have to be punished because they did something wrong, but not all of them are the same,” attorney Donte Mills said.
He says the girl tried to do the right thing, adding she called 911 and waited with Mr. Lambert until medics arrived.
“My client tried to prevent the group from doing that,” Mills said. “Mr. Lambert interacted with the children and a cone was picked up, a cone was used to assault him. My client, as you can see on the video, tried to grab the cone and stop Mr. Lambert from being assaulted.”
This comes after a 14-year-old girl turned herself in Wednesday morning. The girls were among several juveniles caught on camera during the attack that involved a traffic cone being used to beat Lambert.
Lambert died the day after the attack.
A 14-year-old girl turned herself in to the police alongside her attorney and mother just before 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Her attorney only identified her by the initials GM, but he said she will be charged with third-degree murder as an adult.
“I’m not gonna confirm or deny anything there’s a warrant for her arrest that was issued last night when I turned her in just wanted to let you know my client is 14 years of age, just turned 14, so I would just ask that everybody hold judgment,” defense attorney Lonny Fish said.
Fish is the 14-year-old girl’s attorney. He believes she is not a danger to the public.
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“This is a bigger issue, not just small,” Fish said. “To lock up these children for a long period of time, do you think that will fix the problem that we have? I would say it’s not. My goal is to keep her in a juvenile system in a school. No questions asked. Right now, she’ll be charged as an adult statutory, that’s the law. She’s being charged with murder in the third degree, conspiracy, and I’m assuming possession of an instrument of crime.”
He adds her bail is expected to be set either Wednesday night or Thursday.
Philadelphians are weighing in as three persons of interest came forward to police days after authorities released surveillance video of a group of juveniles wanted in the assault that ultimately took Lamber’s life.
“I’d say it’s fair, I’m not gonna say they deserve any mercy or anything,” a man said.
Some are questioning if the charges will fit the crime.
“When you do the crime you have to do the time,” one woman said. “I don’t believe in adolescents being charged as adults no matter what crime it is, but I do believe they need to be charged.”
On Monday, 14-year-old Richard Jones turned himself in to the police. He was charged with third-degree murder as an adult for his involvement in the horrific attack.
As of Wednesday afternoon, only one suspect has officially been charged with third-degree murder as an adult.
* Article from: CBS Philly
