Opinion ID: 860978
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: remand to youth court

Text: Mosley, who was fifteen years old at the time of the offense, argues that the case against him should have been remanded to youth court because the youth court’s investigation was insufficient to support transfer of the case to circuit court, and the trial court erred when it denied his motion to quash the indictment. Absent a showing of abuse of discretion, the decision of the youth court to transfer a case, made after an investigation, will not be disturbed on appeal. In re Watkins, 324 So. 2d 232, 234 (Miss. 1975). Mississippi Code Section 43-21-157 provides that the youth court may transfer jurisdiction for an alleged offense to the circuit court if the youth court finds that (1) there is probable cause to believe that the child committed the offense, and (2) there is clear and convincing evidence that there are no reasonable prospects of rehabilitation within the juvenile justice system. Miss. Code Ann. § 43-21- 157 (1993). Section 43-21-157 provides a list of twelve factors for the youth court to consider in determining the prospects for rehabilitation. Mosley asserts that there were only two witnesses at the youth court transfer hearing, and the evidence at the hearing was not sufficient to support the ruling since Mosley had not previously committed a violent crime, been in training school or put on probation. However, the youth court held the required hearing and addressed each statutory factor in his ruling that there were not reasonable prospects for rehabilitation. The trial court reviewed the youth court transcript and denied the motion to quash. Since this Court is unable to find that either the youth court or the trial court abused its discretion in arriving at this decision, we will not reverse these rulings. This issue is without merit.