The ACLU comes to the defense of Atty. Edwards who was sanctioned by the RI Supreme Court for speaking boldly and criticizing the court.
The ACLU objects to Judge Jeremiah's decision to keep a 14 year old girl at the state Training School for three days without a hearing. ACLU's Stephen Brown stated in part, "We find such a policy to be grossly unfair and contrary to the basic principles underlying the juvenile system of justice. We would therefore strongly urge that this practice halt immediately and that children charged with these offenses be released to their parents in these circumstances, absent compelling reasons to lock them up at the Training School. It is all the more intolerable since these are children who are simply charged with an offense, and not legally found to have done anything at all. The ironic outcome of the current procedure is that young children are being treated more harshly than adults charged with the same or more serious offenses are treated.
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