Program could clear Lakewood boy of charges
TACOMA, Wash. - A 9-year-old Lakewood boy accused of stealing a car the day before he went on a headline-making flight could have his record wiped clean.
Pierce County juvenile prosecutor Fred Wist says he's talking with the defense lawyer for Semaj Booker about a diversion program. If a judge approves, the boy could avoid a trial.
"The juvenile court system is not about making examples of people," said Deputy Prosecutor Fred Wist. "It's an opportunity for us to try to chance the behavior of the youth so they don't make bad decisions in the future and we don't see them again in the court system."
Semaj was in court Tuesday with his mother and lawyer. After they acknowledged he understands the charges he was charged with car theft, attempting to elude police officer and driving without a license.
Not guilty pleas were entered on the his behalf, and he'll remain under house arrest until an April 18th pre-trial hearing.
Semaj made headlines in January when went to Sea-Tac Airport and talked his way onto Southwest Airlines flights to Phoenix and San Antonio, where he was detained.
His story that he was trying to get to his grandfather in Dallas got him on the "Doctor Phil" TV show.
"I don't want to see him jail," said April Kettner, whose car was stolen by Semaj. "I just want to see him get the help he needs, do community service because I want the other children out there to realize that what he did was a crime and you don't just walk away from it. There are consequences."
Pierce County juvenile prosecutor Fred Wist says he's talking with the defense lawyer for Semaj Booker about a diversion program. If a judge approves, the boy could avoid a trial.
"The juvenile court system is not about making examples of people," said Deputy Prosecutor Fred Wist. "It's an opportunity for us to try to chance the behavior of the youth so they don't make bad decisions in the future and we don't see them again in the court system."
Semaj was in court Tuesday with his mother and lawyer. After they acknowledged he understands the charges he was charged with car theft, attempting to elude police officer and driving without a license.
Not guilty pleas were entered on the his behalf, and he'll remain under house arrest until an April 18th pre-trial hearing.
Semaj made headlines in January when went to Sea-Tac Airport and talked his way onto Southwest Airlines flights to Phoenix and San Antonio, where he was detained.
His story that he was trying to get to his grandfather in Dallas got him on the "Doctor Phil" TV show.
"I don't want to see him jail," said April Kettner, whose car was stolen by Semaj. "I just want to see him get the help he needs, do community service because I want the other children out there to realize that what he did was a crime and you don't just walk away from it. There are consequences."