MEMPHIS, TN – Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons announced Thursday that a Memphis teen will be prosecuted as an adult for allegedly stealing copper earlier this month from an apartment in Raleigh.
At the request of the D.A.’s Office, a Juvenile Court referee on Wednesday transferred Darrious Cotton, 17, to Criminal Court on the charge of aggravated burglary. The incident occurred on August 8 at a vacant apartment on Sawmill Drive in Raleigh. While several juveniles have been prosecuted in Juvenile Court for copper thefts, this is the first time a juvenile will be prosecuted as an adult on a copper theft charge.
Cotton was transferred to the Shelby County Jail and is being held on $5,000 bond.
Assistant District Attorney Jamey Kaplan handled the transfer hearing.
Also on Wednesday, in an unrelated case, a 16-year-old defendant was transferred to Criminal Court on the charge of aggravated robbery.
Jockuss Askew is charged for an incident that occurred on July 4 at Mallory and Third. Two individuals were robbed at gunpoint and ordered to strip of their clothing. Their shoes, shirts, money and other personal items were taken.
Askew was transferred to the Shelby County Jail and is being held on $25,000 bond. A co-defendant on this case, Marvin Prince, 16, was transferred to criminal court on August 8. Prince, who was charged with two additional robberies, is being held on $75,000.
Assistant District Attorney Terre Fratesi handled Prince’s transfer hearing.
It is the policy of the District Attorney’s Office to request that juveniles who are 16 or 17 years old be transferred to Criminal Court if they are charged with committing a violent crime. The D.A.’s Office also carefully reviews cases in which a juvenile under 16 is charged with committing a violent crime to determine if a request to transfer the juvenile is appropriate. |