Teen will face other charge in adult court
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on August 14, 2005 2:10 AM
A 16-year-old charged with stealing pain-killers from Wayne Memorial Hospital will not have the chance to answer a marijuana possession charge in Teen Court.
Thomas Bradshaw II, the son of Wayne Memorial Hospital Vice President Tom Bradshaw, had been given the chance to take part in Teen Court so the misdemeanor charge could be expunged from his record.
But the additional charges remove that possibility, said Sudie Davis, the executive director of Community in School, the program that administers Teen Court
"We have to send him back to the courts," she said. "The rules are that when someone gets a second charge, we send him back."
Bradshaw was charged May 20 with marijuana possession and then allowed to enter Teen Court. His case now will be returned to District Court for a resolution.
Teenagers conduct Teen Court with guidance from a District Court judge, a district attorney and lawyers. Often their punishment is harsher than what a real judge would hand down.
District Attorney Branny Vickory, whose office will prosecute Bradshaw, fully supports Teen Court. Most young defendants successfully complete the program.
"It's one of the greatest things since sliced bread, because it helps kids get through something minor," he said.
Bradshaw was arrested July 28 after being charged earlier with two felony counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud or forgery. He allegedly got possession of another employee's security code, then opened a computerized medicine cabinet and got the medication.
He was working as a junior volunteer at the time.
A probable cause hearing was scheduled for Monday. Vickory explained that the hearing was a formality and that Bradshaw will not be back in court until after the grand jury considers an indictment.
"This breaks my heart," Ms. Davis said. "It's one of the saddest things I've heard."
Bradshaw was charged with obtaining nine tablets of Oxycodone, five tablets of Methodone, one tablet of morphine sulfate, two tablets of Hydromorphone, five syringes of morphine sulfate and two syringes of Hydromorphone.
Bradshaw alleges he was coerced into stealing the medication by someone who was threatening him.