Calif. 13-Year-Old Charged In Baseball Bat Killing

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A 13-year-old California boy was charged with murder on Thursday for a fatal attack with a baseball bat on a 15-year-old who had apparently teased him about losing a baseball game.



The Los Angeles District Attorney's office said the teen, whose name was being withheld, would make his first court appearance in juvenile court on Friday.


Jeremy Rourke, 15, died on Tuesday night after the final game of the Pony League season in the desert city of Palmdale, 30 miles north of Los Angeles.


Witnesses said the two boys were standing in line at the snack bar when an argument broke out. Some said that Rourke had teased his attacker after his team lost the final game of the season to the worst team in the league.


According to coach Tony Trevino "one boy lost his composure, got his bat out and hit the other two times, once in the knee, once in the head."


The decision to charge the 13-year-old was made despite pleas for understanding by Rourke's family. The two boys had known each other for years and the family said in a message that their son's attacker "is not a monster. He's a good boy who made a bad mistake."


Under California law, 13-year-olds cannot be tried as adults. The maximum penalty for a minor found guilty of murder would be incarceration in a youth facility until the age of 25.


Hundreds of people took part in a candlelight vigil at the Palmdale baseball field on Wednesday.


"It seemed to be just an altercation between two kids that escalated beyond reason," Palmdale School District Superintendent Jack Gyves told The Daily News. "It's a very unfortunate episode."

Well, this shokcs me not only kid killing another kid, but there arent many family or parents that firends forgive like that, i am very shocked wish more wer elike that, u cant be mad at ur killer forever, very hard to forgive,it sad yes, and very wrong, but some kids have issues and this one needs some anger therapy

They are already making all the trite statements like "Youth today is just too stressed out," "These leagues and the competitiveness they bring out only leads to trouble," etc.

Personally, I think it is just this kid. If it wasn't this, it would be losing control over the loss of a girlfriend, wife or job later in life. He's just wired this way, and for whatever reason, his parents did not do enough in getting him to either get his anger under control or they did not let him experience enough trials, tribulations and losses to enable him to deal with real life. Sometimes, we shelter our kids too much from reality. JMHO.

Yeah, ur right when he grow up if he gets the chance he do it again they always do, just seems that that fmailys kid that died odnt care in a way lettin kid off that easy i shoulda thought maybe they are in shock to, but least some forgive but shouldnt right away make sme wonder

That is sad and I feel for both families for this.

Some arsehole that has nothing to do with any of this will now push for the banning or registration of baseball bats though, or blame tha bat maker for the incident. You will soon see warning labels on bates when you buy them.

U know elkhunter true always one makes a problem like the kid and evrything gets labeled or off the market , well it makes ya mad nothin u can do world has the power, if not w eall be happy

Yeah thats true ELK, they will do whatever they can to put the blame on someone else.