A 12-year-old boy in the United States has been found guilty of murder. The child shot and killed his mother, Sara Madrid, 34, after an argument over his chores. He cannot be named because he is still a juvenile. The court heard he was so angry that he got his mother’s gun from her bedroom and shot her eight times. Ms Madrid’s partner, Alfonso Munoz, witnessed the shooting. He said the boy handed him the empty gun after he had finished shooting. Munoz told the court he taught the boy how to use the weapon for emergencies and for self-defense. Local newspapers reported that Ms Madrid did not get on with her son. Her sister told the court that Madrid had a quick temper and often yelled at, scolded and slapped the boy.
The future of the boy is now in the hands of an Arizona judge, James L. Conlogue. He will sentence the 12-year-old on January the 23rd. Prosecutors want the boy to receive the same sentence as an adult. However, this is impossible under U.S. law, which states a juvenile can only be held until he becomes 18. The boy's lawyer, Sanford Edleman, argued that the boy could not be tried as an adult because he was so young. Edleman said the boy did not even understand what was going on. He said the boy did not intend to kill his mother and that he only wanted to get back at her for scolding and slapping him. The judge ruled the case should stay in the juvenile court after a psychologist said the boy had suffered physical and mental abuse from his mother.
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