A 16-year-old Kenosha high-schooler might avoid the adult criminal justice system. Jaheem Wright, 16, of Kenosha, was charged with Felony Terroristic Threats, Felony Possession of a Firearm On School Grounds, Carrying a Concealed Weapon, and Minor Possession of a Dangerous Weapon.
The Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office asked Judge Chad Kerkman to send the case to adult court, where Wright would face a lengthy prison sentence. Instead, Kerkman ordered a competency evaluation and postponed the case until next month. The case remains in a secret, juvenile court.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
If the case stays in juvenile court, Wright would face little to no punishment. Allegedly, Wright made a social media post in which he “snapped” and said something to the effect of “I’m going to take care of business.” He posted a photo of a firearm on social media.
At least two Kenosha Police officers missed the gun that Wright was carrying inside Indian Trail and Academy. The gun was later found near his crotch.
Kenosha Police said the following of Wright:
“On Monday, 12/02/24, around 10:30 AM the school resource officer at Indian Trail High School and Academy in Kenosha received information that a SnapChat photograph was circulating which showed a 16-year-old ITA student (10TH Grade) possessing a firearm. An investigation immediately began with the SRO and school officials. The student was quickly located and escorted to an office to be searched. The student was arrested at the school and transported to the police department. He was charged with one count of each of the following: Terrorist Threats-Public Panic or Fear; Possession of a firearm on grounds of a school; carrying a concealed weapon; and possession of dangerous weapon by minor. The student is currently detained in a juvenile detention facility awaiting the next court hearing.
The investigation later revealed that the student did in fact have a firearm concealed in a sensitive area. The manner in which the firearm was concealed made it very difficult for the initial officers to locate. The Kenosha Police Department is conducting an internal review of the incident to determine if any policy violations and/or training issues exist.”
KCE decided to name Wright in case Kerkman keeps the proceedings secret.
37 Responses
I see him following the rules, which limits the appeal options. We might criticize judges because we disagree with the sentence. A good measure of our judges is how many of their cases are overturned. Kenosha cases aren’t regularly overturned l.
WRONG. You can be very weak on sentencing and that won’t get you overturned on appeal. That sure as fuck doesn’t mean you are a good judge.
Nice post, Chad.
ITA is turning into another Racine Park, Case, Horlick with there being 1 common denominator.
What’s the 1 common denominator? You can say what you’re thinking here bro.
Well he’s not an adult so it would make sense he seems hesitant. That decision needs to be weighed carefully. Adults make different decisions and have different consequences. There has to be a cut off somewhere.
Yet he can become a woman because “he’s old enough to make that decision”.
You CAN NOT have it both ways. Current law says a 17 year old can be charged as an adult. If he actually killed someone, you wouldn’t want him tried as an adult? That’s asinine.
That’s my point he’s not 17. He is 16 therefore he is a child. You can’t just randomly choose certain kids to try as an adult. He never hurt anyone, although he should be held accountable for what he did under the current law.
And for the record, he should not be able to choose if he’s a girl or not that’s stupid
not all people off the same age have the same maturity
*of
He needs to be held accountable for his actions He needs to be in adult court .
Why? He’s not an adult. You can’t just pick some crimes to tries an adult just because. He either is or he isn’t.
Do you think that every single case should always be tried as an adult? Always?
More importantly, where are the parents? Where gun come from? Parents should hold some responsibility in this and this will keep awareness of what your child is doing on a day to day basis. We gotta do better…. Schools use to be a safe haven now it’s running the streets!!!!
I think parents should be charged if they are found at fault. This would help prevent alot of these cases!
Chad should worry about this kid in school with his iwn kids. Yeah they are older now but really, why would Chad forget that schools are gun free zones yet this kid knew how to hide a gun that police missed. Too familiar with guns. This kid needs to be in adult court. So sad on how uyou gave turn out chad
How much did the metal detectors cost that were just installed inside the public safety building ?They were bought because the records workers were upset/scared about being in the room with this armed suspect that the gun wasn’t found.
I’d love to see to redacted report and bodycam of the searches.
And why doesn’t KUSD have these same metal detectors?
As an employee in the PSB, there are not metal detectors. When the building was under attack from rioters, Records staff took shelter on an upper floor.
With regards to the topic of rhe Juvenile, he needs to be held accountable for his actions. There also needs to be accountability to whomever provided him with access to a gun.
And lets not forget, intake court is open to the public and within a matter of seconds there could be a serious situation in there if someone’s loved one doesn’t get a good bond.. There is no metal detectors preventing people from bringing anything in.. you can post signs all you want about it being gun free zone. People don’t care!
the child needs to be held accountable and raising competency is the cop out.. he was competent enough to hide a gun… in a school… come on
Look around, they’re new
The metal detectors look very similar to the robot machines that have the bright light going through the aisles at woodmans disinfecting items.
They’re 6 feet tall, silver, with a green light on top.
There is a new metal detector in the hall by records.
Try his ass an adult and permanently expel him from all KUSD schools. You commit big boy crimes you pay big boy consequences.
Charge him as a juvenile, we never find out where he got the gun from, the leverage is charge as an adult to find out where this gun came from let’s start there. JMO
Was there a punishment for officers or write up for missing the gun? My neighbor’s kid was in the ISS room with this kid after he was searched and still had the gun. This room is supervised by a hall monitor basically, and has 2 doors that you can leave right into the hallway I am told.
So the kid was searched by the one officer there, then put into a room with several students. Then the student with the gun went unsupervised by the one cop in the building for how long? This was a huge, dangerous mistake. Where is the accountability???????? Guy with gun making threats to students who posted picture on social media of his gun at school was searched, then placed into an unsecured room with other kids that had 2 doors to leave from. WOW.
We all got to see the Applebees body camera footage, we all deserve to see this body camera footage too. Blur the face of the suspect, show the officers and their hands and searches.
KUSD- be transparent, stop hiding behind FERPA. You can release a play by play of what happened and when, just omit any names of students. You guys are asking us for another $100,000,000 soon. Show us that you actually serve our children and communities.
Why don’t they have them walk through a detector like when you enter a courthouse???
I wonder what charge Kerkman would approve if someone snuck a loaded gun into the courthouse and was posting threats to people inside the courthouse online that same day??
Kerkman wants to “keep an eye” on him.
Until they prosecute these kids, they will all think it is a joke and continue!!!!
Why not withold judgment until the decision is made?
A careful judicial review and mental examination will protect the adult charges if they are appealed.
Ya. Real mental when he posted about doing it. That’s called pre meditation. Quit thinking every time a kid does something it’s mental! It’s parenting and lack of the respect for laws!
Not surprising coming from a feminized Liberal judge that never had any real Balls.
They sure were pretty fast to charge Martel Lee as an adult based on no eveidence, only words from someone that changed his story, and was totally unreliable as a witness.
America is fucked
There’s always Greenland
How can someone (or two people) miss a gun that big when they know it’s there???? Maybe they train differently in the academy now since I’ve retired.
If he could act all tough with a gun he should be charged like an adult. Simple as that.