D.A. submits plea offers in death of boy at youth home
By CHRIS REDFORD
credford@ktbs.com
KTBS.COM
June 26, 2006
 Eight current and former Hope Youth
Ranch employees charged in connection with the death of a
12-year-old boy who collapsed during a disciplinary run will be
offered probation in return for guilty pleas, Webster Parish
prosecutors said Monday.
Monday was the first day of
arraignments for the defendants, who are charged with negligent
homicide. Those who had lawyers all pleaded not guilty; the others
had public defenders appointed to represent them.
All eight are accused of
unintentionally causing the death of 12-year-old Alex Harris of
Haughton.
Harris collapsed and died last fall
after he was forced to run as a form of punishment. Investigators
said workers ignored the boy's pleas for help and denied him water.
Webster District Attorney Schuyler
Marvin said plea offers call for the defendants to plead guilty in
return for suspended prison sentences, two years probation and no
fines. Any community service would be at the discretion of the
sentencing judge, Marvin said.
Attorney Larry English, who is
representing defendants Kelton Greenard and Arthur Henderson II,
rejected the offer -- saying the boy's death is a civil matter, not
a crime.
"I'm appalled my clients have been
indicted in this case," English said outside court, "We're hoping
the district attorney will come to his senses and drop the charges."
Prosecutors said that won't happen.
"That offer's subject to be withdrawn
at any time," Assistant District Attorney Sherb Sentell said. "We're
not saying they specifically intended to run the child to death.
What we're saying is no reasonable person acting as a prudent person
would have run someone like that and denied him water."
Also under indictment are Marcus
Jones, Tasha Jackson, Jeremy Blanks, Troy Hamilton, Willis Doyle and
Anthony Combs.
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