The mother of 18-year-old homicide victim Kashawn Johnson and about 30 other people held a rally Wednesday outside the office of Mecklenburg District Attorney Spencer Merriweather, demanding that a juvenile arrested in the case be prosecuted as an adult.
Johnson died after being shot in the head in north Charlotte during a robbery in May.
Police arrested a 15-year-old in connection with the killing, along with a 20-year-old.
Johnson’s mother, Tianna Nelson, said that after speaking with the District Attorney’s office recently she is worried that the 15-year-old won’t be charged as an adult.
She led a crowd chanting, “Justice for Kashawn, Justice for Kashawn.”
Other people attending the rally were mothers who have also lost children to violence.
“We are here today because we want justice for my son,” Nelson said. “We want this juvenile to be held accountable for his actions, and we want him to be transferred to adult court by North Carolina statutes. That is why we are here.”
Merriweather’s office said in a statement it’s prohibited by law from discussing juvenile cases. It said charges against the adult suspect — Desmond Dailey — are pending.
The DA has moved to dismiss nearly 100,000 minor cases so it can focus on more serious crimes. Merriweather has said the pandemic led to a large backlog of cases.
