Six-month sentence defendant in Joyner-Francis' death

A 17-year-old girl will not serve prison time for last year's fatal attack of Howard High School of Technology sophomore Amy Inita Joyner-Francis.

Even though Joyner-Francis' mother and a state prosecutor implored the judge to send Trinity Carr to a juvenile prison, the judge sentenced her to six months at Grace Cottage – a secure residential program for female youth near Wilmington. He also banned her from social media and ordered her to complete various other forms of probation and community service until age 21.

Zion Snow, 17, who was accused of planning the attack but never punching Joyner-Francis, was sentenced to 18 months of community supervision.

"It is a case in which no one is looking to determine who wins and who loses because everyone has lost," said Family Court Judge Robert Coonin. "The community has lost, the defendants and their families have lost, and most importantly, Amy's family has lost.

"Nothing that any of us say or do here can ever change that – myself included."

Last April, 16-year-old Joyner-Francis died after a brutal fight in the high school bathroom exacerbated her pre-existing heart condition. Dozens of girls watched the confrontation as it unfolded, and at least two recorded it on their cell phones.

Video and social media postings helped the state secure convictions against two out of the three girls accused of having a role in the planning and carrying out of the attack.

In Family Court in Wilmington on Monday, the two girls – Carr and Snow – appeared before Coonin for sentencing. Behind them sat not only their parents, but Joyner-Francis' family members.

Although Joyner-Francis' family did not speak, Deputy Attorney General Phillip Casale read a letter from her mother in which she said changes need to be made to the criminal justice system so juveniles will think twice before harming anyone.

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"They took another human being's life," Inita B. Joyner wrote. "A child's life, my baby's life, and this is not acceptable in any manner."

In the letter, Joyner-Francis' mother recalled her daughter as a child "full of life" who dreamed of becoming a doctor or pursuing a law career.

"As Amy's mother, I am very proud of the positive person she has become," Joyner said. "Amy never ceased to amaze me with how mature and kind she was."

Casale argued that a prison term would send a message to Carr and the community about what is expected of teens, even though her conviction for criminally negligent homicide and third-degree conspiracy came with no mandatory incarceration in Family Court.

Prosecutors sought last year to have Carr tried as an adult in Superior Court, where she could have faced up to eight years in prison, but the judge determined she was amenable to rehabilitation in Family Court.

Coonin again disagreed with prosecutors on Monday when Casale and State Prosecutor Sean Lugg requested Carr be sent to a facility in Indiana, since Delaware has no juvenile prison for females.

Carr's attorney, John Deckers, argued that the cornerstone of juvenile justice is that children shouldn't be judged by the worst thing they've ever done. The focus must be rehabilitation and the best interest of the child, he said.

"Children are well worth the investment of time and services because they are mentally, psychologically resilient and open to change," he said. "Their behavior is correctable, and they are capable of becoming caring, productive members of society."

Deckers added that the public backlash Carr has faced should not be underestimated.

"This is a very real consequence to Trinity and her family and her siblings and her parents that survives no matter what happens, no matter what sentence this court imposes," he said. "Please, your honor, don't underestimate the vile, despicable nature of this backlash."

Deckers said Carr is making positive changes in her life by attending counseling, following her pre-trial conditions and sharing her story with teens.

After hearing the two sides, Coonin decided that prison in another state would not be appropriate. He ordered Carr to be taken to Grace Cottage, followed by non-residential after-care treatment until age 19 and then two years of adult probation.

Carr must also complete 500 hours of community service with an emphasis on serving young people who have been abused or bullied and pay a to-be-determined amount of restitution.

Snow, who was found delinquent of third-degree conspiracy, was sentenced to 18 months of community supervision and 300 hours of community service.

Coonin said he hopes that by banning both from social media while they are serving their sentences, it will help them regain an "appropriate appreciation" for others and understand the effect of social media.

“I hope, with this sentence, that you can gain the tools to understand and perhaps help others so this horrible event does not get repeated," Coonin said.

Monday's sentencing came more than a year after the fatal fight shook not only the school community, but the state and nation.

During an April bench trial in Family Court, prosecutors accused Carr, Snow and Chakiera Wright of planning the confrontation in the 20 hours before the attack. Wright was found not delinquent after Coonin said there was insufficient evidence to show she participated in the plan.

At the center of the prosecution's case was cellphone video of the assault. The video shows Carr dragging Joyner-Francis by her long, braided hair through a handicap-accessible stall in the bathroom. Carr swings her arms and lands punches onto the head and torso of Joyner-Francis, who was on the floor clutching her purse.

During the trial, the attorneys litigated questions such as what a “reasonable” person should expect as a result of a fight, what type of clothing is worn by kids preparing to fight, and whether Joyner-Francis was a participant in the fight. The defense argued Carr could not have foreseen that Joyner-Francis would die as a result of the fight.

Coonin, in his ruling in April, said high school students should know that a fight could result in serious injury. Carr's failure to perceive the risk assumed in the attack constituted a "gross deviation" from the standard of conduct of her peers, he said.

Furthermore, evidence presented during trial – including threatening messages posted by Snow on social media saying “we gonna get her” – demonstrated Carr and Snow were planning to attack Joyner-Francis, Coonin said.

After Monday's sentencing, Deckers declined to comment. Lugg called the sentence "appropriate."

"As all noted, Amy can never be brought back," he said. "But this is something that will hopefully give closure to all involved and allow for this community to heal."

Sherry Dorsey Walker, former Wilmington councilwoman who was acting as a spokesperson for Joyner-Francis’ family, said the family knew the type of justice they wanted would not be possible with the case being tried in Family Court.

"I don't think there will ever be anything such as closure as it pertains to this situation because Amy will never come home," she said. "So while one of the assailants gets to be at Grace Cottage and her parents can come visit her on a regular basis that is not something Amy's family can do."

Contact Jessica Masulli Reyes at 302-324-2777, jmreyes@delawareonline.com or Twitter @JessicaMasulli.