Yesterday, I raised the following questions about Xavier Pinckney after PWC Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul Ebert stated that Pinckney was “known to law enforcement.”
So, was this suspect someone who the police should have already had locked up (or at least in juvenile detention) for a previous crime? Did the Commonwealth’s Attorney office botch a prior prosecution of him or were they lenient with him because he was a juvenile? In short, was there something that could have been done that would have placed the suspect in such a position where he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to commit these murders?
Today’s WashPo raises the stakes with regard to those questions:
Police credited tips from the neighborhood and old-fashioned mug shots — the juvenile had a history of burglaries in the area, they said — for the quick arrest.
. . .
The suspect, who authorities said has several criminal convictions, is due in Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court on Jan. 12.
. . .
Police then searched for the criminal records of people who live in the neighborhood — focusing on burglaries — and showed a photo spread to witnesses, who ultimately identified the suspect.
History of burglaries? Several criminal convictions? There is just one question that NEEDS to be asked and answered here — why was Xavier Pinckney free to murder Jean and Jim Smith?
It sounds as if the police were doing their job with regard to this suspect, having arrested him on multiple occasions. That leaves just a few possibilities:
1. The Commonwealth of Virginia’s juvenile justice system is woefully inadequate and doesn’t provide for tougher sentencing for repeat offenders like Pinckney.
2. The judges in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court (or General District Court if his cases were handed up to them) were too lenient with Pinckney when they sentenced him for his prior convictions.
3. The Commonwealth’s Attorney office, despite winning convictions of Pinckney, didn’t push for tougher sentencing despite his continuing crime spree.
4. A combination of these factors.
For whatever reason or reasons, Pinckney was not in a juvenile detention facility where it sounds as if he should have belonged. Had he been locked up in a juvenile detention facility rather than free and going to Hylton High School, he would not have had the opportunity to murder Jean and Jim Smith.
Prince William County residents DESERVE ANSWERS! Why was Xavier Pinckney free to murder Jean and Jim Smith?
Filed under: Crime, Prince William County Politics
[...] of Jean and Jim Smith by a repeat juvenile offender in Dale City earlier this week has Jim Riley at Virginia Virtucon wondering how a known public safety threat like this was free to commit this crime. Police seem to [...]
It’s damn sad that Prince William, Manassas, and Manassas Park only have 31.52% of persons charged with felonies actually being sentenced on felonies.
The rest either had their charges dropped (nolle prossed) or reduced to misdemeanors.
Ebert’s office barely ranks above those offices that have part-time Commonwealth’s Attorneys.
http://www.scb.virginia.gov/docs/ratio.pdf
[...] Others are already asking the questions that should be raised about this degenerate’s criminal…. [...]
thank you. i don’t understand how this can be allowed to happen. if a kid receives warning after warning, what is to tell him he is doing something wrong. it just teaches the youth to try and get away with anything that they can for as long as they can. adequate sentencing and punishment means identifying, correcting, or removing the person from respectable society.
merry christmas. Xavier Pinckney killed the two people in the neighborhood who would have given him the shirts off their backs if he told them he needed it. there is a dark and lonely place in hell waiting for him. i can’t seem to remember, does VA have the death penalty still?
Yes, Virginia does have the death penalty, but because Mr. Pinckney is under 18, he is ineligible for it due to the United States Supreme Court’s 2005 ruling.
Disgusting. Can Ebert finally be run out of town?????
With so many crimes, why are the records of this “juvenile” kept confidential? Shouldn’t the public have the right to know about his multiple crimes? Wouldn’t earlier release of such data help the cause of public safety?
You’re correct, Ron. But unfortunately, we live in a society that many times values the rights of the criminal over the rights of the general public. The right to life is the very first right spelled out in the Declaration of Independence — even before liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And nowhere in the Declaration or the Constitution is there an explicit right for juvenile criminals to avoid embarassment or future discrimination based upon their youthful offenses.
Unfortunately, they state cant build prisons fast enough….Pinckney should have been in one of the facilities in the County, but i suspect the County doesnt have a lot of spaces in these facilities……and therefore, Ebert’s and the Judges hands are tied…….the resources are lacking in part becase of all the bitching about taxes by many people of all persuasions, but i believe mainly by our right-wingers!! Even though PWC has the lowest taxes in N Va, there is a continual cry to make further cuts……our schools are next……i wish people could prove me wrong……no staff…….there are other Pinckneys walking around…..
Ken, if Pinckney had been prosecuted and convicted for those crimes previously, more than likely, he would have been in the custody of the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice and what the citizens of Prince William County would have been willing to pay in taxes wouldn’t matter.
Timothy, that may be correct except for the fact that the Juvenile Judges do sentence juveniles to time in the County Juvenile Detenttion Center or the “Group Homes for Boys and Girls” where they are held, have schooling via the County School System and after a period of rehab of up to 18 months are normally returned to the community. Also, I understand that the Judges place kids in Joe Gibbs; Youth For Tomorrow facility. People like Pinckney, if convicted as a juvenile would definetely go to a state institution (forever i hope) and this would be paid for totally by the state. Now, all that said, I believe that the County facilities are a function of the County government and therefore paid for in part by County taxpayers…….not totally reimbursable by the state. Again, you may very well know more than i do, but the above is my understanding of the process.
[...] Timothy Watson pointed out in a prior comment: It’s damn sad that Prince William, Manassas, and Manassas Park only have 31.52% of persons [...]
Lots if people think we should have low, low taxes and jail everybody who smokes pot. THAT’S WHY Pinckney was on the streets. The police, Commonwealth’s Attorney and the courts do what they can. It we don’t have enough jail cells for the real criminals and the voters don’t want to foot the bill to put all violent criiminals and all “social” criminals away. It’s time to decide: use the jail cells for risks to society– letting druggies and prostitutes go to free-up the space, paying more taxes to house everybody the busybodies don’t like, or losing loving and beautiful people like Jeannie and Jim every once in a while. It’s a simple choice: taxes, purity, or safety. If you don’t like paying your dues (taxes) and you want to enforce your morality on everyone, then quit bitching when good people die.
I would counter that even people who prefer low taxes want the government to fund strong public safety programs, transportation and schools as the three core services that it should provide with their tax dollars. It is a false choice to have to pick between low taxes and public safety.
I am really sad. I work at the HS that the young man who murdered the Smith family went to. I know what he did wrong is a sin. And he should have been dealt with. He had a record and should have been on Probation for a longer time. I am not making up excuses for the boy. But this area is the worst I have ever seen. The teens have no place to hang out and be teens. And then seem to get themselves into trouble with the law. I am so hurting for The Smith family and deep down for the Pickney family also. They are wonderful christian family. And they are not to blame for the crime their son decided to do. DO not blame the parents. They did not hold a gun to him and tell him to go and do the crimes he committed. It angers me.That people right away blame the parents. He knew right from wrong. ANd made a terriable choice on that day. And yes he will pay for that for the rest of his life. So there are 2 familes suffering for a losing a loved one. Thanks for letting me vent.
Parents have a responsibility to know where their children are and what they are doing. If Pinckney’s had been living up to their responsibility all along, he would never have reached the point that he did. They DO deserve some blame. Why wasn’t he in school at the time this crime was committed? Why didn’t they know? Why did they allow their minor child to date a woman in her 20s?
They may not have led him to the Smith household, put the gun in his hand and told him to shoot a sleeping man, but they put him on the path to doing it by their lack of oversight.
[...] was loose on the streets to commit such a heinous crime to begin with. Apparently, he had “several” criminal convictions (a later article described it as a single conviction) and… That begs the question — why wasn’t he behind bars or at least in a juvenile detention [...]