Teenager’s lawyer says girl needs help, not life in prison
Attorney John R. Reeves, Jackson, MS
Family members of the 14-year-old girl who pulled a gun Tuesday on a Yazoo County school bus carrying mostly elementary students apologized Friday through their lawyer.
“The whole family is concerned, and they want the public to know, as well as the authorities, that they are very saddened,” Jackson attorney John Reeves said. “They are very sorry it happened.”
Reeves said the family intends to get emotional help for the girl. She was tackled and disarmed by 18-year-old Kaleb Eulls, a Yazoo County High School football star who has received national attention for his actions on the bus.
“Pulling a gun out like that was inexcusable and inappropriate,” Reeves said.
But he said the girl does not belong in jail.
“She doesn’t need to be in jail for the rest of her life,” he said.
Reeves said the girl remains in the Yazoo County youth detention facility.
Her name has not been released.
The girl is charged with one count of possessing a firearm on school property and 22 counts each of attempted aggravated assault and kidnapping.
Reeves said the family intends to cooperate fully with the authorities, but he said he plans to petition to keep the case in Youth Court.
Asked if the girl had been interviewed by Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department investigators, Reeves said, “I don’t know. I was only retained (Friday).
“But under the law, a child that age cannot be questioned by authorities without the presence of a parent or attorney or with their consent.
“I’m going to trust that the authorities have followed the law.”
Yazoo County Sheriff Tommy Vaughan did not return phone calls Friday.
Under Mississippi law, Circuit Court has the authority to try juveniles older than 13 as adults for crimes involving a gun.
Among the factors the court may consider in whether to keep the case in Youth Court is the maturity of the offender and whether the crime posed “substantial risk to the public,” Reeves said.
Mac Gypson, the girl’s grandfather, said Thursday that the girl brought the gun from home because she was being bullied at school.
Reeves said that may be a part of the girl’s legal defense.
“The gun was unloaded at home. Her mother kept it in a closet and kept the bullets somewhere else in the house.
“She had the gun to protect her family. As far as whether it was loaded on the bus or not, I’m aware of specific facts my client has told me, but because it is a Youth Court matter, I am not able to discuss it.”
He said no one has the authority to speak for the girl “except her mother or me.
“I’ve seen television newscasts and read newspaper accounts of various family members saying this or that.
“That young lady is represented only by her mother and me.”
Reeves confirmed the girl had told her mother “she was being picked on by boys and girls on the bus and at school.
“I am given to understand that one young man was going around and saying he had had sex with the girl.
“But that is untrue and that terribly hurt this young lady, who is an honor student and a good girl.”
A videotape of the incident released to the news media raises concerns about privacy, Reeves said.
“Since this is a matter involving a minor and a matter that would initially involve the Youth Court … that (videotape) would be confidential and protected under privacy laws in reference to all the students on that bus.
“It’s probably not going to make a judge happy. … I’ve appeared before some judges in this state who would consider it contempt of court.”
Eulls’ three younger sisters – Kimberly Clark, 15, Ashley Dortch, 14, and Bobbie Dortch, 12 – were among the 20 or so students on the bus during the incident.
Clark, the eldest of the three, said she was the one who woke up her sleeping brother when the girl began threatening the other students.
“Some of us were at the back of the bus playing music and singing when it happened,” Clark said Friday.
“I was pretty scared; she was pointing it at us. …
“She told the bus driver to pull over. That’s when I woke up my brother, and he told us to get behind him and go out the back door.”
After escaping, Clark said, she and other students sought refuge in another school bus that had stopped in front of theirs.
“We were looking through the windows of the bus and could see (Eulls) tackling the girl,” Clark said.
“He saved our lives, even though his life could have gotten taken,” she said.
“I’m just proud he did it. It would have been worse if he hadn’t been on the bus.”
Eulls will be honored next week at the meeting of the Yazoo County Board of Supervisors.
Chris Joyner • Clarion Ledger Staff Writers • September 5, 2009
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