Whitey Ford
02-26-2020, 09:57 PM
'I've been failed by the system' | Teen walks free after neighbor says he broke her nose, left her in bruises
"He comes back with a weapon. He is on top of me. There was blood everywhere. I was literally fighting for my life at that point," she told 5 On Your Side
https://i.imgur.com/7oxkdgw.jpg
A St. Louis woman feels like the judicial system failed her, after she said her teenage neighbor attacked her and walked away free.
Clarke said that's when the 6-foot teen jumped the fence and tackled her.
"He knocked me down, pulling my hair, kicking," she recalled.
Before he ran off, she said he grabbed her personal cell phone again. She used her work phone to call police.
"I am on the phone with St. Louis police dispatch, making my way to my backdoor, when he comes back with a weapon. He is on top of me. There was blood everywhere. I was literally fighting for my life at that point," she told 5 On Your Side.
Clarke said as he was on her back, he stabbed her in the head and face with a metal rod.
Police arrested the teen on charges of first-degree robbery, second-degree burglary and third-degree assault.
Clarke thought the fight was over. But when she went to juvenile court a few days later, she learned his case was dismissed.
A juvenile court official said a staff attorney dropped the case before even going to the judge. The courts weren't able to comment specifically on this incident, since it involves a juvenile. Clarke said she was told her accused attacker was found incompetent to aid in his own defense because he has an IQ of 49.
Another neighbor who didn't want to go on camera said the teen has also broken into her home and believes he needs to be held accountable.
Clarke said the teen has broken into her car three times, but this has been the worst of it. She has a great support system, so she isn't forced to continue living where she said she was attacked.
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/crime/ive-been-failed-by-the-system-teen-walks-away-free-in-st-louis-after-neighbor-says-he-broke-her-nose-left-her-in-bruises/63-ba5fbdd6-e0cb-429c-be84-09f1fc2f8b34
"He comes back with a weapon. He is on top of me. There was blood everywhere. I was literally fighting for my life at that point," she told 5 On Your Side
https://i.imgur.com/7oxkdgw.jpg
A St. Louis woman feels like the judicial system failed her, after she said her teenage neighbor attacked her and walked away free.
Clarke said that's when the 6-foot teen jumped the fence and tackled her.
"He knocked me down, pulling my hair, kicking," she recalled.
Before he ran off, she said he grabbed her personal cell phone again. She used her work phone to call police.
"I am on the phone with St. Louis police dispatch, making my way to my backdoor, when he comes back with a weapon. He is on top of me. There was blood everywhere. I was literally fighting for my life at that point," she told 5 On Your Side.
Clarke said as he was on her back, he stabbed her in the head and face with a metal rod.
Police arrested the teen on charges of first-degree robbery, second-degree burglary and third-degree assault.
Clarke thought the fight was over. But when she went to juvenile court a few days later, she learned his case was dismissed.
A juvenile court official said a staff attorney dropped the case before even going to the judge. The courts weren't able to comment specifically on this incident, since it involves a juvenile. Clarke said she was told her accused attacker was found incompetent to aid in his own defense because he has an IQ of 49.
Another neighbor who didn't want to go on camera said the teen has also broken into her home and believes he needs to be held accountable.
Clarke said the teen has broken into her car three times, but this has been the worst of it. She has a great support system, so she isn't forced to continue living where she said she was attacked.
https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/crime/ive-been-failed-by-the-system-teen-walks-away-free-in-st-louis-after-neighbor-says-he-broke-her-nose-left-her-in-bruises/63-ba5fbdd6-e0cb-429c-be84-09f1fc2f8b34