A baby-faced 13-year-old suspect was ordered held without bail on Monday for allegedly killing another teen in Brooklyn. The victim’s mother said she’s had enough of city violence and is moving her family out of state.
Eighth-grader Trashawn Jones was charged in court on counts including second-degree murder while his mother watched from the gallery. Jones was taken into custody with his head down and cloaked in a black sweatshirt and was subsequently sent to a juvenile detention center.
“I’ve never had a 13-year-old in this part [of court] until now,” Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Craig Walker said. “The only way to have a 13-year-old is if they’re charged with murder. It’s not a good thing.
“It’s about as serious a case as it can get,” the judge added.
Jones’s mother said, “Oh, my baby” when he was led into the courtroom. Afterward, she cried out to him, “I love you, Trashawn!” Her son, with his hands cuffed, replied, “I love you, too,” as he was led off.
Jones, who is only 13, has been charged with the murder of Nyheem Wright, 17, but will be tried as a “juvenile offender,” which means his potential punishment will be reduced.
It was claimed in court that Wright, a senior at the time of his death and a “joyful leader,” was killed on January 20 in a fight over a girl in a Coney Island parking lot. His identical twin brother saw as he was stabbed to death.
Jones is accused of confronting the two adults and stabbing and killing Wright, one of the teenagers.
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Two additional juvenile suspects, Javon Johnnie, 15, and Elijah Lewis, 14, have also been charged with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the event.
“I’m a mother that’s mourning, I don’t care about their ages,” Wright’s mom, Simone Brooks, told The Post on Monday. “You know, I’m sorry about the fact that [Jones] is a young kid. I don’t have mine. It’s not the same.
People keep telling me that my four families are dysfunctional, but it’s not since you all still have your kids. I don’t. You could visit your kid in prison, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to.
Brooks said she’s already sent Nyheem’s twin brother, Raheem, to live with relatives in Georgia and is planning to move to either the Peach State or North Carolina to escape the rampant street violence in the five boroughs.
She wished she could be somewhere else. I’m trapped; there’s no way out. But she vowed to “keep my foot on the neck” in her pursuit of justice.
“I’m gonna be at every trial just to make sure I get justice for my son because I’m not gonna let this slide,” Brooks said.
Police said that Johnnie is a suspect in two non-fatal shootings in Brooklyn and Manhattan in 2021 and that Jones had two assault records as a juvenile. According to sources, the 15-year-old has at least eight prior juvenile charges, including assault, burglary, and grand theft. Since he was convicted of possessing illegal weapons, he is still on parole.
According to reports, the 14-year-old has already been arrested twice for robbery.
Defense attorney Michael Sheinberg said Jones “denies being the stabber in this case.” He revealed that his client is a middle schooler who plays hoops for his school.
By Monday night, Lewis had been arraigned, and a judge had set his bail at either $50,000 cash or $75,000 bond. Johnnie was ordered detained instead of $75,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond.
When the day ends with three juveniles, “it’s pretty much a somber day,” the judge observed.