The 13- year old Hobbs middle school student will now be charged in federal court for shooting a teacher
Teacher Kelly Matthews was shot last September 25 during school
HOBBS, N.M. —
On Friday, September 25, a 13-year-old student was taken into custody after allegedly shooting teacher Kelly Matthews at Highland Middle School in Hobbs.
KOAT has learned from the Lea County District Attorney’s Office the juvenile will be in federal court.
Hobbs Police Chief James Jones released a statement to KOAT
“The juvenile laws in our state are not the strongest. We feel the federal system is a better fit for such a tragic event,” Jones wrote.
Some details in the case, such as where and how the student obtained the gun and 50 rounds of ammunition, have not been publicly released. KOAT legal expert John Day said this information could be a factor in the decision to move the case to federal court.
“The possibility that there’s an adult who may have allowed the child to [have] the gun, or let the child have access to a gun. And penalties for those adults would be somewhat tougher than in the state courts,” Day said.
Day also noted that cases tend to move faster in federal court and that sentencing would be similar if the student is found guilty in either state or federal court.
“They can be kept in custody until they’re 21, both under state law and under federal law. So they’re not, it’s not a lot of difference in terms of how a sentence might be carried out,” Day said.
Below is the full statement from Chief Hobbs:
“Our thoughts remain with Mr. Matthews, his family, the students and teachers of Highland Middle School, and all of those impacted by this tragic event. The Hobbs Police Department takes acts of violence against our schools and our community extremely seriously. We will use every legal option available to us, to hold those responsible for such actions accountable at the highest level, regardless of their age. Our commitment to the safety of our students, teachers, and community has not changed, and it will not change. We will work closely with our federal partners and federal prosecutors as this case proceeds through the federal system. Our pursuit to move this case into the federal system is not a result of any lack of confidence in our local judges. They do a great job and are amazing at what they do. However, the juvenile laws in our state are not the strongest. We feel the federal system is a better fit for such a tragic event”.
This statement from attorney Adam Oakey who represents the 13 year old juvenile:
“What I can say is this case should come back to New Mexico state jurisdiction. I see no viable reason why the federal government needs to meddle in cases with our citizens. This is not a federal case. We have the resources to deal with and are able it to rehabilitate our own children in our community. I believe that federal policy from the executive branch may be what’s pushing decisions like this.”
