UPDATE: Accused Perry Hall Student Shooter To Be Charged As Adult
A three-day hearing concluded with the court ruling against 15-year-old Robert Gladden Jr.'s request for juvenile charges.
Photos
UPDATE (4:34 p.m.)—Adult charges will stand against the student accused of opening fire inside Perry Hall High School on the first day of school, Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Robert Cahill, Jr. announced Friday morning.
"The court can reasonably expect that if placed in treatment with juveniles, he would lack candor with therapists ... he would bully other juveniles ... he would act in a defiant, hostile and disinterested way," Cahill said.
"He is not the least bit interested in treatment and not the least bit motivated to change," he said.
The announcement came at the close of a three-day juvenile waiver hearing, that had been postponed twice and stretched across two weeks. A criminal trial for 15-year-old Robert Gladden Jr. in adult court remains scheduled to begin on Feb. 19.
In an unexpected and hotly debated portion of the closing arguments, Gladden pleaded with the court that he was remorseful, had been bullied and would be best served in the juvenile system.
"My name is Bobby Gladden. I am 15 years old. I'm here today because I made the dumbest, stupidist mistake ... I was not myself and I was out of my mind ... people talked about me behind my back and called me a freak and a weirdo ... I know that is not an excuse for what I did and I am truly sorry ... I want to be able to move on and I want help ... I just want to make the best for myself. I know I can change. Please give me one more chance. I'm not a risk to anyone," Gladden said.
He also said he would like to meet the shooting victim and apologize to him.
Gladden was initially charged as an adult with nine counts of first-degree attempted murder, among other charges, in the Aug. 27 incident that left special needs student Daniel Borowy seriously injured.
If the court had decided to instead charge Gladden as a juvenile, he could have faced significantly less jail time, a full release by age 21 and protection from media access to his criminal trial, Gladden's defense attorney George Psoras said during the hearing.
While the first portion of the hearing on Jan. 30 focused on Gladden's troubled formative years and psychiatric evaluations, the proceedings on Jan. 31 included portions of video recordings of Gladden immediately after the shooting, and audio recordings of Gladden's phone calls from the Baltimore County Detention Center in recent months.
The recordings, as presented by Baltimore County Assistant State's Attorney John Cox, focused on Gladden saying that he intended more shooting victims, that he was not a victim of bullying, felt little remorse for the shooting, and preferred being imprisoned with adults instead of children or teenagers.
The judge extended the hearing to Feb. 8 in order to ensure that Psoras had ample time to collect recordings to support Gladden's proposed transfer to juvenile court.
Psoras, however, did not present any new recordings on the last day of the hearing. Instead, he informed the judge that Gladden had requested to deliver the closing arguments.
Over the course of several minutes, Psoras and the judge explained to Gladden that by speaking, he was giving up his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent. The judge also insisted that anything he said during the closing arguments would be used against him court.
Cox also reviewed with the court the legal implications of Gladden speaking.
Gladden was given several opportunities to choose not to speak.
During his statement, which he read from a sheet of paper, Gladden called the shooting the "dumbest, stupidist mistake" and said students had talked about him behind his back. He also expressed a desire to change and to be sent to juvenile court.
Gladden's statement was followed by Cox's closing arguments, in which he outlined the five thresholds for evaluating trying a juvenile in adult court: age, mental and physical condition, amenability to treatment, nature of the crime and public safety.
According to Cox, the only criteria in which Gladden was not clearly in line with an adult conviction was age. Cox then provided examples to support Gladden's mental competency and at least average IQ, his robust physical condition, his apparent opposition to treatment, his alleged actions during the shooting, which Cox called a "nightmare to all who entered Perry Hall High School," and professional opinions that Gladden would be an ongoing threat to public safety.
"When you look at someone with a conduct disorder, it is an individual behaving badly ... this is about a bad person who chooses to behave badly," Cox said.
"[Gladden] actually said, 'I like scaring people—scaring people is funny.' That's a quote," he said.
Cox added that since the shooting, while in treatment and in the detention center, Gladden has few recorded examples of remorse, has mocked religious people and has been shown to draw satanic stars and has written "666" on objects.
Psoras followed with his rebuttal.
The judge asked Psoras to rein in his rebuttal and not to focus on the prosecutor's personality after Psoras began with the statement, "Thank the Lord that Mr. Cox is not the judge, jury and executioner because there would be a public hanging out here in the courtyard."
Psoras then explained that he believed the reports and evaluations on Gladden were unnecessarily harsh, and that treatment workers and law enforcement professionals presented less harsh views of Gladden under cross examination.
"When they spoke, they said very different things than they wrote," Psoras said.
"Mr. Cox wants to say, once a criminal, always a criminal, but people can change," he said. "How do we know Bobby is amenable to treatment? He told you himself that he wants to change and get well."
Psoras said Gladden's prescription of Prozac had brought about dramatic behavioral improvements.
"He's like any other teenager," he added. "Bobby is not a risk to anyone in this room, in this community or the world. We have five and a half years to treat him."
The judge then delivered a lengthy explanation on why Gladden's case crossed the five thresholds to justify his adult charges.
Cahill said he relied heavily on professional evaluations and reports on Gladden from before and after the shooting. He also reviewed extensive video recordings and recorded telephone conversations involving Gladden at the detention center.
Gladden's behavioral problems began as early as kindergarten, the judge said, where a teacher first pointed out that he did not like to follow directions and would rarely complete assignments.
Problems continued between fifth grade and ninth grade, during which Gladden was suspended at least nine times, usually for attacking other students, the judge said.
While suicides and death in his family and his parents' divorce likely contributed to his problems, Gladden made his own decision to react with violence, Cahill said.
While medication may be currently improving Gladden's behavior, there is no guarantee that it would remain effective in the long term, the judge said.
"The court is not convinced that Prozac would take care of all of Mr. Gladden's problems, or ensure public safety," he said.
Cahill criticized the defense for claiming that Gladden would be raped or murdered in an adult detention center. "The idea of wholesale rapes and killings does not add substance to this case," Cahill said.
Cahill repeatedly referenced phone conversations from the detention center between Gladden and family members.
"He expressed admiration of Hitler and made light of the Sandy Hook shootings," the judge said.
During calls, Gladden also complained about treatment workers, family members, his attorney, media coverage of the shooting and at one point said, "No one can get through to me," according to the judge.
"I think we can agree that there are two Robert Gladdens. One who says he was bullied and wants treatment, but that is not the one who is shown in phone conversations," he said.
"He does things logically ... he thinks like an adult ... he employs manipulation to achieve his ends," Cahill said.
Members of Gladden's family were visibly and audibly upset by the decision to try him in adult court.
Cox's team confirmed that Gladden's criminal trial would begin, as scheduled, on Feb. 19.
Check Patch for updates on the judge's opinion and closing arguments from the prosecutor and defense.
Kiley Saeed
12:21 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Good. Exactly as he should be.
number9dream
12:25 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
After he's sentenced, President Obama should pardon him and train him to fly drones so he can kill innocent women and children.
Tim
12:38 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
you mean unmanned (i.e. no soldiers harmed) drones that kill terrorists in their caves?
number9dream
12:55 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Yes. God bless America!
Born to be Free
2:10 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
I think President Obama needs to strike him with a drone
Marty Warren
5:05 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Wow. (Shaking my head in disbelief again)
Kathy Hoatson
12:27 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
As he should be. He planned the whole incident and should be tried as an adult.
christy
12:40 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
If this were my son or my daughter I would want to see him tried as an adult. I feel bad for this young man that he has thrown his life away like this. But I feel like there is a generation out there without any accountibility. When you know between right and wrong and you choose wrong than the consequences belong to the offender. I think that the kids that bulled this young man need to take accountibility for their actions as well. I raised both of my children to be kind to the fellow man and woman and there is something really wrong with society when young children and adults walk around hurting and bullying one another to the point of fatalities. I hope that as he is being tried as an adult the courts will put into play all the people who contributed to this crime. I think him being tried as an adult is sad, very sad but fair to the family of the victim and the victim himself. We need to build our children up and teach them kindness and reverence. But emotionally unavailable parents, abusive bulliers, and a society of no accountilbilty leaves children alone with absolutely no guidence to know how to do the right thing and they are left making wrong decisions without remorse most of the time. I pray that someday this will change
DaughterOfAKing
12:50 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Well said Christy...well said. I pray for this child...that through his journey in prison, he will seek the Lord and his heart will change for the good.
Becky
9:02 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
VERY well said!!!!!
DaughterOfAKing
12:46 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
This child needs help. He is angry at the world and he doesn't care what happens to him. I bet he figures he would have a better life in prison then the life he has been living. My heart breaks for this child.
DaughterOfAKing
1:41 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Seems to me he had a reason. A reason that none of us can fully comprehend because we are not him. A reason that goes way beyond bullying. You live his life, as him, in his shoes, and I bet your tune will change. Parents as well as society creates children like this. Godlessness, violent movies, video games, lack of self-respect and I can go on. Praise the Lord that God thinks differently than you. I for one am praying for this child because I know that God has bigger and better plans for this child just for the asking.
DaughterOfAKing
9:52 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Robert, no one is taking away the blame from this child. However the mind is a complicated machine. Behavior is learned. Children are like flowers with water, sunlight and lots of love they flourish and grow. Take away the water, sunlight and love and what happens. You get my point.
LisainParkville
1:56 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Robert...Have you ever tried to get help for a child who has mental issues? Unless you have an endless amount of money, insurance will only cover so much. and your child will never have a normal life. Children are misdiagnosed or they do never get medical attention to help them deal with today's society. It's very sad..I do believe this young man needs mental help however it's too late. He needed help when there were signs earlier in his life, as a parent you sacrafice everything to help your child. I am not sure that this young man had the benefit of getting help or the unconditional love from his parents. Most involved parents know when something is different with their child, or if he or she is struggling. It's a dam shame that no one stepped up to help this young man out. He has ruined his life and almost killed someone else. I really think times have changed, children learn from adults, teach your kids right, stay involved, be nosey and set restrictions. Prayers to everyone involved.
LisainParkville
2:21 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
A bad kid his age may curse,lie,steal or cheat which are horrific in my book. A bad kid does not take a gun to school ..the only words to describe this man is troubled or he needs medical help. This is just my oppinon just not sure if anything would help him. Thank you for being a foster parent, and I am glad that you have adopted.
Pat Foster
2:45 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
He did a very adult thing that could have resulted in the death of many innocent people. So I believe this was the correct decision. As to the people, who think they are clever suggesting that he should be killed by a drone, that would not be the correct decision because he is an American and must be afforded his legal rights under our Constitution!
CONCERNED PARENT
4:11 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
I think a child is born with clean slate and he is a product of his own enviroment, I would love to interview the mother, as I already saw how she acted on live tv, when the news crew showed at her residence. As a normal parent, he did have signs that should have alarmed her to seek help. Like stapling his arm last year in school,,,,,,,etc
Marty Warren
5:12 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Not always. Our homosexual friends say they were born that way and they didn't choose that life style, and maybe they are right. Factor in that some human beings are incapable of remose, I think genetics plays a large role in each individual. Just a guess though
Buck Harmon
4:13 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Folks that prescribed mind altering drugs should have to pay a price as well...the kid had help...
Bonnie Hauge
5:22 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
If, in fact, he was quoted correctly, it is interesting that he said "I just want to make the best FOR myself", not "OF myself" - freudian slip?
Shakira
5:36 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
As a teen I personally think he NEEDS to be taken accountable of his actions. As adults you should all know that teengers will lie and manipulate to get their way...that is all he is doing. Thank god he isn't convincing the public of this. Just because he tells the judge he wants to change doesn't mean anything. Don't we remember the saying "actions speak louder than words" his actions clearly shows who he wants to be, a person who terrorizes others and does things for himself. He needs to be treated as an adult. I'm tired of people saying that he has has a rough childhood and what not. That is NOT an excuse for what he did for terrorizing others, there are people who have rough childhoods all the time but make good decisions e choose to react in these ways and this is the consequence. Also it's sad he was "bullied" or maybe not at this point we don't really know, but again how is that an excuse? As far as I see it he is the bully he's been suspended for physically and verbally assaulting students....I think the judge made a great decision, because 5 years of help isn't going to magically change him into a "productive member of society"
AzureSkye
7:20 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Very well spoken Shakira ! From the day the shooting occured..I have followed this story and read everyones comments. He was not bullied..in fact..students were afraid of him and avoided him ...He indeed was the bully ! Clearly, this young man needs the help he never recieved from his parents and should be tried as an adult. He obviously wanted to kill someone that day but...by the Grace of God the young man shot survived and a teacher became a hero. God Bless them all !
number9dream
6:37 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Who needs Robert Gladden Jr. or terrorists to strike fear into the hearts of the populace when we have the government's own policy justifying killing its own citizens?
LOL
http://www.theonion.com/articles/american-citizens-split-on-doj-memo-authorizing-go,31207/
number9dream
7:48 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
@Evets
Unfortunately the DOJ memo to which they refer is lacking in satire.
Kongo
7:59 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
Excellent news. Time for poor, misunderstood Bobby to get a nice, refreshing wood shampoo followed by a dirt nap.
Kongo
8:08 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
That is what he deserves. Hopefully, one of his new friends in the can will give it to him, since the state won't.
DaughterOfAKing
9:59 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013
The lack of compassion for this child is very disheartening. To me the lack of compassion is equal to, if not worse, than the actions of this young man. I'm thankful that Jesus has forgiven him. And there is not a single person on this site that can change that. My prayers go out to this young man. Seek the Lord and He shall set you free.
Betty Withrow Rosier
12:03 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
yeah sad to say alot of Judge and jury going on here...he should not be charge as an adult he is a child.
Buck Harmon
8:52 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
He is not an adult...period...the judge made a bad decision...happens all the time..
The adult or adults that placed mind altering drugs into his body should be charged as adults for their participation though...over prescribed dangerous drugs are the cause of most of these type of behaviors...no one seems to address that..why?
Jeanne
10:51 am on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
"To me the lack of compassion is equal to, if not worse, than the actions of this young man." Daughter of AKing what are you thinking?????? Bobby shot a young man who then had to have surgeries and spent almost 2 weeks in Shock Trauma. Daniel is back in school but I am sure he is still recovering. From experience as a patient I can tell you spending one day in Shock Trauma is a nightmare you never forget no matter how hard you try much less all the time he spent there. Don't get me wrong the nurses and doctors of Shock Trauma are amazing and do everything they can to make you comfortable. Even after Bobby was stopped people were running in fear, several people injured. The emotional trauma on everyone in that school that day was beyond words, I saw it in the eyes of the students & staff I knew the next day. Yes Bobby is shown lack of compassion because he doesn't deserve it. Bobby gave up that right when he walked on the bus with a gun and later used it in the school. You need to be forgiven for making that statement.
Gil
6:17 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
So many people completely overlooking the real victims of this event and feel pity for the trash, and we wonder why society is the way it is.
Spring Heeled Jack
8:12 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Wow this kid is toast in prison. Someone as young and small as him might not make it to 20.
PH Students' Mother
10:23 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Thank goodness!! My whole family is going to suffer the rest of our lives from the action of Bobby Gladden, he deserves to suffer too
Kongo
10:25 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
I can't wait to see poor, misunderstood little Bobby try to mouth off in prison like he has been. He has no idea how bad real "bullying" can be. LOL
Steve
10:29 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
"He has no idea how bad real "bullying" can be."
Still fondly reminiscing about your time in the clanker, eh BO?
Kongo
10:37 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Ah, Stanker. You would not survive for two minutes in the clanker. No denizens of Mom's basement do. LOL
Steve
10:49 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Spoken like a true veteran of our Correctional Facilities BO.
Kongo
11:43 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
What's your position on the story, Stanker? Let me guess - you hate the gun more than the evil scumbag that wants to use it for nefarious purposes.
Whacked
10:57 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
"They are trying to frame me"
Whacked
11:03 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
They will love his long hair in jail.
Ashley
11:52 am on Saturday, February 9, 2013
What's the saddest about this is that even after the tapes of him admitting that everything he did was calculated some of you still want him to be out on the streets in five years.
It's because of people like you that we have so many criminals wandering around. You need to realize that you can't fix everyone. Especially people who don't want to be fixed. It's very noble to want to rehabilitate everyone, but it's not realistic and when people exhibit a violent tendency at a younger age they usually have antisocial personality disorder (a.k.a. sociopath). Unfortunately, they won't give a diagnosis of that to people under the age of 18 and it doesn't actually have a clear, effective treatment. Bobby fits the bill quite nicely though and has already shown himself to be violent, so I sincerely hope he serves a VERY long time and doesn't get another chance to harm people.
Ashley
4:28 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
He will be sixteen this year. 16 + 5 = 21, so if convicted as a juvenile it would be five years served. At least the judge had the good sense to see through his manipulations.
PerryHall18
5:11 pm on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
this kid should get life in prison or better yet the electric chair, he has no remorse and he knew what he did. Even if he does truly "feel bad" who cares? that doesnt change the actions he made. If it wasnt for the teacher who stopped him who knows what could have happened. Only thing better that could have happened is if this creep would have killed himself. Put him away for life. He wants to "scare people" and draws "666" on things? He clearly is still desperate for attention so put him away for life and im sure hell get plenty of attention every day in the shower.
B
6:38 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
To me by treating kids differently for serious crimes we are essentially saying its ok to commit serious crimes if you are under a certain age. The age shouldn't matter. The crime should. Shooting someone at age 80 is no different than shooting someone at 16. The crime is the same. The punishment should be the same.
Becky
9:53 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
YES!!!! I could not agree more with B!!!! There are adults of all ages that have "mental issues" or have had a bad childhood etc. but regardless if they shoot someone they will be punished as ADULTS!!! It should not matter if you are 17 or 18 with mental issues or without , if you shoot someone there should be no diiference in punishment. You have committed a CRIME!!!!! There should be no excuses or second chances... What about the victims like Daniel who have to live with there injuries for the rest of there lives? Or the victims who don't survive? There are families of victims that would give anything for that" second chance" with there loved one and they will never get it!!!! Why should the person who committed the crime be given a" second chance" because of there age or troubled childhood or "mental issues"!!!!
Buck Harmon
9:13 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Folks that prescribed mind altering drugs should have to pay a price as well...the kid had help.....can't say this enough, but for some reason it's untouchable..
Buck Harmon
9:21 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
He's a young, green criminal...hasn't really had a chance to live life...
I believe that he should be forced into treatment for as long as it takes...until his behavior can be verified stable for a long period...when released after this type of process he might have a chance to live normally....if placed in prison for a long period of time when released, he'll most likely be a hardened criminal with very little chance of doing well in society...it is a decision that should never be made lightly of... there WILL be a day that he is turned back to society..
Kongo
10:16 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Would you want this guy around your children, Buck? That's the real question.
Buck Harmon
10:26 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Would I want him around my children when released from prison..or after he has received treatment for his ills....that is the real question....he WILL be released to society one way or the other in this case.
My children did in fact live sheltered lives though...
Kongo
10:32 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Look, Buck, you are railing against psychiatry and mind altering drugs. With that in mind, do you really think that the "treatment" would leave him safe to be around your kids?
Buck Harmon
10:51 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Robert, A big part of allowing the opportunity for your children to live a sheltered life is letting them decide for themselves their own degree of freedom or experience with life....difference is in the effort that must be made as a parent....not the restrictions perceived as true with living a sheltered life....it's more knowing that the shelter will be there if needed....tight family if you will...an old concept perhaps..
Kongo
11:08 am on Friday, February 15, 2013
Hey Buck: so on the one hand, you blame psychiatry and medications for kids misbehavior, but on the other hand you're against incarceration and for some "treatment". So how is that treatment going to work if psychiatry is so bad?
Buck Harmon
8:50 pm on Friday, February 15, 2013
I have never blamed psychiatry for anything Kongo...just the drugs that are over prescribed by many doctors that aren't psychiatrist..or behavioral specialist...any MD can prescribe mind altering drugs with profound side effect potential...and it happens now more than ever in history... this is a REAL and dangerous problem that doesn't seem to be addressed...
MGS
1:22 pm on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Not really going to debate neither the guilt or innocence nor the psychiatric condition. But I am watching a video of his alleged confession right now. I'm wondering if it admissable. He was read his miranda rights and signed a document - probably not legally binding since he's under the age of majority. Furthermore, procedurally, it appears he is being questioned without his parent's permission and presence. They sometimes appear to be leading him with their questioning too.