European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 19, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A 10-year-old charged Vith by Dennis o Brien Baltimore Sun Cameron Kocher in i Yuu typical murder suspect he s More like your Typu-al10 year old out police in strouds Birg a in Tinl live months ago the Sandy haired. Heckle faced cub scout toot one olins father s Hunting rifles loaded it. Air Ruel it out of a bedroom window and lit cd a single shot that killed 7-year old Jessica Ann Carr As she played next door the reverberations of that shot arc till ringing both in the Monroe county courthouse where the Case May make Leal history and in the surrounding Pocono Mountain towns of Pennsylvania whew in is As talked about As this  a & of tourist season i Twik about it the shooting and live it out go by single  said Jessica s Moth i. Donna Carr. The More i think about it. In More it just does t make sense Cameron who turned 10 in april is being charged As an adult with criminal homicide because common Picas court judge Ronald r Vican denied a Welense motion june 23 to Transfer the Case to juvenile court ruling that the evidence indicates the crime was deliberate and wilful t he ruling came after lout Days of testimony in  Lour therapists agreed that Cameron showed above average intelligence suffered no mental illness. Had Loving parents and had the emotional make up of an average 10-year-old that much seemed apparent at a three hour preliminary hearing Earl in August where Cameron fidgeted like a boy in Church As he sat flanked by two Gray suited lawyers hired by his parents at one Point he was quietly reprimanded by his father Lor pulling his chewing gum from his Mouth and extending it in tront of his lace he also dozed Oil prompting a recess so he could gel a drink of water stretch and go to the bathroom. The hearing required by Pennsylvania Law to establish whether there is sul Lucient evidence to try the Case concluded with the boy s being ordered to lace trial he remains free on the 3.50.000 bail posted by tur Parent Keith and Patricia Kochur who h Ivo put up their Home As collate my i to trial is not expected for another year both defense lawyers and prosecutors in the Case say they believe Cameron will be the youngest criminal defendant Ever tried As an adult Lor murder in Iho United states. The Only other cases on record involved 11 year Olds in the 1800s children arc involved in about 250 shooting deaths each yeat m the United Stales most cases arc handled by the juvenile court system where hearings Are closed and the emphasis is on to Meatmen of the accused kalhor than on punishment the prosecutor in the Stroudsburg Case. Mark paid Hatch. Said to wanted to try Cameron As an adult because Pennsylvania lacks Public detention facilities that would quarantine Long term supervision and treatment for any child charged with murder under age 14 there Are private facilities but the in patient care they offer is limited to stays of six months he said from our Perr Achi to that s not Long  he said adding that the brutal nature of the crime moots the Case s being tried in adult courts Welense attorney Charles Han Slot argues that the shooting was an Accident that his Young client barely knew the victim and that the boy lacked the capacity to intentionally kill someone  Pla ing Hunton when to took that gun there was no wilful intent " said Han lord. The shooting at Iho Kocher s modes three bedroom ranch House along hideaway Hill Road in Kunk Melown has divided neighbors in this Rural pocket of northeastern Pennsylvania  the Blue mountains that line Tho horizon have inspired town names like wind Gap. Little Gap and Swiftwater at the american hotel and tavern in Kunkletown proprietor Luther Fraulo says discussions about what should be done with Cameron have led to healed arguments that have come close to list gets among his patrons How do you punish a 9-year-old Lor a crime like that asked Frable what do you do lock him up and throw away the key defense lawyers and prosecutors say they believe Cameron Kocher will be the youngest criminal defendant to be tried in the United states As an adult for murder. He is accused in the shooting death of 7-year-old Jessica Ann Carr. At the time of the incident Cameron was 9 years old. Page 16 the stars and stripes saturday. August 19,1989