Bryan Stevenson

and the man is snoring at this point and at some point the man stops snoring and jumps and when the man jumps the little boy jumps and when the little boy jumps he pulls the trigger and shoots this man in the head killing him instantly this child was very small for his age it was under five feet tall he weighed less than 100 pounds he'd never been in trouble before no prior juvenile adjudications he was a decent student he was the kind of kid

that might have been tried as a juvenile, but for the fact that the man that he shot and killed, his mother's boyfriend, well, that man was a deputy sheriff. And because he was a deputy sheriff, the prosecutor insisted that this child be tried as an adult, and the judge immediately placed this child in an adult facility.

that might have been tried as a juvenile, but for the fact that the man that he shot and killed, his mother's boyfriend, well, that man was a deputy sheriff. And because he was a deputy sheriff, the prosecutor insisted that this child be tried as an adult, and the judge immediately placed this child in an adult facility.

that might have been tried as a juvenile, but for the fact that the man that he shot and killed, his mother's boyfriend, well, that man was a deputy sheriff. And because he was a deputy sheriff, the prosecutor insisted that this child be tried as an adult, and the judge immediately placed this child in an adult facility.

I got involved three days later, and I went to the jail to see this kid, and I was struck how when he walked into the room, he seemed to be so terrified. And he sat down and I started asking him questions, but no matter what I asked him, he wouldn't say anything. He just stared. And I remember getting up and going around the table and pulling my chair close to him.

I got involved three days later, and I went to the jail to see this kid, and I was struck how when he walked into the room, he seemed to be so terrified. And he sat down and I started asking him questions, but no matter what I asked him, he wouldn't say anything. He just stared. And I remember getting up and going around the table and pulling my chair close to him.

I got involved three days later, and I went to the jail to see this kid, and I was struck how when he walked into the room, he seemed to be so terrified. And he sat down and I started asking him questions, but no matter what I asked him, he wouldn't say anything. He just stared. And I remember getting up and going around the table and pulling my chair close to him.

I said, come on, you got to talk to me. I can't help you if you don't talk to me. He wouldn't make eye contact. He was just staring straight ahead. And I couldn't figure out what to do. And at some point, I just leaned on him. And when I leaned on him, he leaned back. And when he leaned back, I put my arm around him. I said, come on, you got to tell me what's going on.

I said, come on, you got to talk to me. I can't help you if you don't talk to me. He wouldn't make eye contact. He was just staring straight ahead. And I couldn't figure out what to do. And at some point, I just leaned on him. And when I leaned on him, he leaned back. And when he leaned back, I put my arm around him. I said, come on, you got to tell me what's going on.

I said, come on, you got to talk to me. I can't help you if you don't talk to me. He wouldn't make eye contact. He was just staring straight ahead. And I couldn't figure out what to do. And at some point, I just leaned on him. And when I leaned on him, he leaned back. And when he leaned back, I put my arm around him. I said, come on, you got to tell me what's going on.

And this little boy started to cry. And through his tears, he began talking to me, not about what happened with the man, not about what happened with his mom. but what had happened at the jail. And he told me on the first night several men had hurt him. He told me on the next night he'd been sexually assaulted by several people.

And this little boy started to cry. And through his tears, he began talking to me, not about what happened with the man, not about what happened with his mom. but what had happened at the jail. And he told me on the first night several men had hurt him. He told me on the next night he'd been sexually assaulted by several people.

And this little boy started to cry. And through his tears, he began talking to me, not about what happened with the man, not about what happened with his mom. but what had happened at the jail. And he told me on the first night several men had hurt him. He told me on the next night he'd been sexually assaulted by several people.

He told me on the night before I'd gotten there so many people had hurt him. He couldn't remember how many there had been. And I remember hugging this boy while he cried hysterically for almost an hour. And I finally got him calm and I said, look, I'm going to get you out of here. You stay right here. And I'll never forget trying to leave the jail. And that little boy grabbed me by the arm.

He told me on the night before I'd gotten there so many people had hurt him. He couldn't remember how many there had been. And I remember hugging this boy while he cried hysterically for almost an hour. And I finally got him calm and I said, look, I'm going to get you out of here. You stay right here. And I'll never forget trying to leave the jail. And that little boy grabbed me by the arm.

He told me on the night before I'd gotten there so many people had hurt him. He couldn't remember how many there had been. And I remember hugging this boy while he cried hysterically for almost an hour. And I finally got him calm and I said, look, I'm going to get you out of here. You stay right here. And I'll never forget trying to leave the jail. And that little boy grabbed me by the arm.

He said, please, please don't go. Please don't go. I said, no, it's all right. It's okay. You stay right here. I'm going to try to get you out of here. And when I left the jail, the question I had in my mind, of course, was, who's responsible for this? And the answer is, we are. We've allowed fear and anger to demonize whole generations of children. I believe all children are children.

He said, please, please don't go. Please don't go. I said, no, it's all right. It's okay. You stay right here. I'm going to try to get you out of here. And when I left the jail, the question I had in my mind, of course, was, who's responsible for this? And the answer is, we are. We've allowed fear and anger to demonize whole generations of children. I believe all children are children.

He said, please, please don't go. Please don't go. I said, no, it's all right. It's okay. You stay right here. I'm going to try to get you out of here. And when I left the jail, the question I had in my mind, of course, was, who's responsible for this? And the answer is, we are. We've allowed fear and anger to demonize whole generations of children. I believe all children are children.

I don't think we show our commitment to children by looking at how well we treat talented kids and gifted kids and privileged kids. Our commitment to children has to be expressed by how we treat poor kids, abused kids, neglected kids, kids that are disfavored, kids that are struggling. These are the children that reflect our commitment to children.