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13-year-old accused NYC murderer held without bail — as victim’s mom speaks

Jan. 30, 2023
13-year-old accused NYC murderer held without bail — as victim’s mom speaks

A 13-year-old baby-faced suspect was ordered held without bail Monday for allegedly murdering another Brooklyn teen — as the victim’s mom said she’s had enough of city violence and is moving her family out of state.

Accused eighth-grader Trashawn Jones was arraigned on second-degree-murder and other charges while his own mother looked on in court.

Jones, wearing a black hoodie with his head bowed, was ordered held at a juvenile facility.

“I’ve never had a 13-year-old in this part [of court] until now,” Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Craig Walker said. “The only way to have a 13-year-old is if they’re charged with murder. It’s not a good thing.

“It’s about as serious a case as it can get,” the judge added.

Jones’s mother said, “Oh, my baby” when he was led into the courtroom. Afterward, she cried out to him, “I love you, Trashawn!” Her son, with his hands cuffed, replied, “I love you, too,” as he was led off.

Jones is charged as an adult in the slaying of 17-year-old Nyheem Wright, but the 13-year-old will end up tried as a “juvenile offender,” meaning his sentence will be less if convicted.

Prosecutors said Wright — a high-school senior whose principal hailed him as a “joyful leader” — was killed over a girl during a fight in a Coney Island parking lot on Jan. 20. His twin brother witnessed his fatal stabbing.

Jones and two other teenagers allegedly confronted the pair, with Jones accused of fatally stabbing Wright.

The other two teen defendants — Javon Johnnie, 15, and Elijah Lewis, 14 — were charged with first-degree manslaughter in the incident, as well.

“I’m a mother that’s mourning, I don’t care about their ages,” Wright’s mom, Simone Brooks, told The Post on Monday. “You know, I’m sorry about the fact that [Jones] is a young kid. I don’t have mine. It’s not the same.

“People keep telling me four families are messed up, but it’s not, because y’all still have your kids. I don’t. So, at the end of the day, you could go see your son in jail, but I’m not gonna be able to do that.”

Brooks said she’s already sent Nyheem’s twin brother, Raheem, to live with relatives in Georgia and is planning to move to either the Peach State or North Carolina to escape the rampant street violence in the five boroughs.

“Anywhere but here,” she said. “I can’t escape it.”

But she said she would push for justice and “keep my foot on the neck.

“I’m gonna be at every trial just to make sure I get justice for my son because I’m not gonna let this slide,” Brooks said.

Jones has two prior assault arrests as a juvenile, while Johnnie is a suspect in two non-fatal shootings in 2021, one in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan, police sources said.

The 15-year-old also has at least eight previous arrests as a juvenile, including for assault, burglary and grand larceny, sources said. He is still on parole for an illegal-weapons rap.

The 14-year-old has been arrested for two previous robberies, sources said.

Defense attorney Michael Sheinberg said Jones “denies being the stabber in this case.”

He said his young client is an eighth-grader on the school basketball team.

Lewis was arraigned later Monday and ordered held on $50,000 cash bail or a $75,000 bond. Johnnie was ordered held on $75,000 cash bail or a $100,000 bond.

“It’s pretty much a very sad day when I have to end out the day with three young individuals.” the judge said.


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