On June 21, 2012, a Wilmington, N.C. judge denied the release of a juvenile charged with the first-degree murder of Zhen Bo Lui, a 60-year old Chinese food delivery driver. According to authorities, on June 14, 2012, 15-year old Mustafaa Friend and 20-year old Dewayne Haugabook, Jr. allegedly plotted to kill Lui and rob him of food and money.
Based on interviews with three other accomplices, Friend shot Lui in the foot and then Haugabook shot the victim in the face. The three accomplices are Marvin White, 18, Rasheed Thompson, 16, and Manije Johnson-Martin, 16.
According to the interviews, Friend and Haugabook took food from the car and returned to the three others to eat after shooting Lui. After they finished eating, all five individuals returned to the scene of the crime to allegedly pilfer the car for valuables and cash, according to their statements.
Currently, the District Attorney is reviewing the case to determine whether Friend should be tried as a juvenile or an adult. If the court grants the motion to have Friend tried as an adult, he could be eligible for the death penalty. If tried as a juvenile, the harshest sentence that could be applied would be life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Source: WWAY
This case brings up a point that juveniles need strong defense attorneys to help protect their futures. If your child is arrested and charged with a crime, no matter how serious the charge, you should speak with a criminal lawyer who has experience handling juvenile cases.
To schedule a consultation with an experienced lawyer in Wake County, contact the Law Offices of Brad Sahl. He represents juveniles in a broad range of criminal cases, including violent crimes, theft crimes and drug offenses.