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Teenager charged with capital murder
By Tom Smith
Senior Writer
MOULTON -- Capital murder charges have been filed against a teenager in connection with the death of a Lawrence County teacher.
Moulton Police Chief Lyndon McWhorter said capital murder charges against the 15-year-old were filed Monday. He is accused of assaulting 55-year-old Judy Jester.
Jester was assaulted Wednesday at the Lawrence County Family Education Campus on Rosenwald Street.
Jester died Sunday afternoon at Huntsville Hospital. She was administrator of the district's after-school program and a first-grade teacher at Hatton Elementary School.
The teen has been identified by sources with direct knowledge of the case as Demetrick Young, of Moulton.
Young was taken into custody Thursday evening. By Friday, he had been charged with first-degree robbery and third-degree burglary. An attempted murder charge was added during his hearing Friday.
Courthouse officials said the attempted murder charge would be dropped at some point since the charge has been upgraded.
The teen is accused of attacking and robbing Jester sometime between 4 and 5 p.m. Wednesday. She was found at about 8 p.m.
If convicted of capital murder, Young faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in jail without parole.
A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court makes it unconstitutional to execute anyone younger than 16.
McWhorter said an autopsy has been ordered as a part of the investigation.
Officials said the Lawrence County District Attorney's Office is expected to begin proceedings to have Young certified to stand trial as an adult.
"An unexpected loss of a member of the education family in always difficult, but when the loss of a dedicated teacher like Judy Jester comes from violent and tragic circumstances, it is particularly heartbreaking,'' said Alabama Education Association Director Paul Hubbard in a prepared statement. "We abhor violence in any form, but this senseless and brutal act is truly incomprehensible.
"All Judy Jester wanted to do was teach and love her first-graders. All she wanted to do was give to her community. Now, through one horrendous act, this has been taken away. The loss will be felt by all of us.''
McWhorter said the attack was random and that there has been no evidence found that Jester or her attacker knew each other.
He said the teen is being held in the Tennessee Valley Juvenile Detention Center in Tuscumbia.
The Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office are helping Moulton police with the investigation.
Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.
By Tom Smith
Senior Writer
MOULTON -- Capital murder charges have been filed against a teenager in connection with the death of a Lawrence County teacher.
Moulton Police Chief Lyndon McWhorter said capital murder charges against the 15-year-old were filed Monday. He is accused of assaulting 55-year-old Judy Jester.
Jester was assaulted Wednesday at the Lawrence County Family Education Campus on Rosenwald Street.
Jester died Sunday afternoon at Huntsville Hospital. She was administrator of the district's after-school program and a first-grade teacher at Hatton Elementary School.
The teen has been identified by sources with direct knowledge of the case as Demetrick Young, of Moulton.
Young was taken into custody Thursday evening. By Friday, he had been charged with first-degree robbery and third-degree burglary. An attempted murder charge was added during his hearing Friday.
Courthouse officials said the attempted murder charge would be dropped at some point since the charge has been upgraded.
The teen is accused of attacking and robbing Jester sometime between 4 and 5 p.m. Wednesday. She was found at about 8 p.m.
If convicted of capital murder, Young faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in jail without parole.
A recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court makes it unconstitutional to execute anyone younger than 16.
McWhorter said an autopsy has been ordered as a part of the investigation.
Officials said the Lawrence County District Attorney's Office is expected to begin proceedings to have Young certified to stand trial as an adult.
"An unexpected loss of a member of the education family in always difficult, but when the loss of a dedicated teacher like Judy Jester comes from violent and tragic circumstances, it is particularly heartbreaking,'' said Alabama Education Association Director Paul Hubbard in a prepared statement. "We abhor violence in any form, but this senseless and brutal act is truly incomprehensible.
"All Judy Jester wanted to do was teach and love her first-graders. All she wanted to do was give to her community. Now, through one horrendous act, this has been taken away. The loss will be felt by all of us.''
McWhorter said the attack was random and that there has been no evidence found that Jester or her attacker knew each other.
He said the teen is being held in the Tennessee Valley Juvenile Detention Center in Tuscumbia.
The Alabama Bureau of Investigation and the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office are helping Moulton police with the investigation.
Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.
