Digest

This episode of Small Town Geeks features Kristen, a prosecutor, who recounts her experience with a homicide case involving a 13-year-old boy named Jimerson. The episode begins with Kristen's career journey, starting with her volunteer work at Seattle Rape Relief and her decision to pursue law school. She describes her experience as a domestic violence advocate and her eventual role as a King County prosecutor. Kristen details the events leading up to the homicide, including the victim, Anna, sneaking out to meet a group of teenagers. The group, including Jimerson and a 24-year-old man named Williams, began to beat Anna. Jimerson shot Anna twice in the back, and Williams, after making a chilling statement, shot her a third time in the chest. The hosts discuss Jimerson's troubled background, including his birth in prison and his family's history of criminal activity. Kristen confirms the presence of gang activity in Seattle at the time and the possibility that Jimerson was trying to prove himself to a gang. Kristen explains the legal framework in Washington state at the time, which mandated that juveniles committing certain serious crimes be tried in adult court. She describes the process of a "decline hearing," where a juvenile judge decides whether to send a case to adult court. The hosts discuss the factors considered in this decision, including the severity of the crime and the juvenile's criminal history. Kristen describes the emotional nature of the decline hearing, where the defense attorney fights to keep Jimerson in the juvenile court system. She highlights the differences between the types of juvenile homicides she encountered, emphasizing the premeditated and targeted nature of Jimerson's crime. Kristen explains that Jimerson was sent to adult court and the trial began in August. She discusses the media's coverage of the case, noting the public's shock at a 13-year-old being tried as an adult. She describes the process of jury selection and the challenges of finding jurors who could remain impartial despite the case's notoriety. Kristen discusses the difficulties of managing witnesses, particularly those who were homeless or had unstable home lives. She describes the lack of DA investigators at the time and the extra work she and her colleague, Patty, had to do to locate and secure witnesses. Kristen describes the trial's conclusion, including the jury's deliberation and their verdict. She shares the reaction of Anna's family, particularly the bravery of her 11-year-old sister who testified about Anna. She also discusses the sentences received by Jimerson and Williams, and Jimerson's subsequent rehabilitation efforts. Kristen reflects on the case's significance to her career, highlighting its impact on her trajectory as a prosecutor. She discusses the challenges of dealing with threats from gang-affiliated witnesses and the emotional toll of the case. She concludes by emphasizing the importance of the work she does and the variety of experiences it offers.

Outlines

00:00:00

The Case of the 13-Year-Old Murderer

This episode of Small Town Geeks features Kristen, a prosecutor, who recounts her experience with a homicide case involving a 13-year-old boy named Jimerson. The episode begins with Kristen's career journey, starting with her volunteer work at Seattle Rape Relief and her decision to pursue law school. She describes her experience as a domestic violence advocate and her eventual role as a King County prosecutor. Kristen details the events leading up to the homicide, including the victim, Anna, sneaking out to meet a group of teenagers. The group, including Jimerson and a 24-year-old man named Williams, began to beat Anna. Jimerson shot Anna twice in the back, and Williams, after making a chilling statement, shot her a third time in the chest. The hosts discuss Jimerson's troubled background, including his birth in prison and his family's history of criminal activity. Kristen confirms the presence of gang activity in Seattle at the time and the possibility that Jimerson was trying to prove himself to a gang.

00:13:38

The Decision to Try Jimerson as an Adult

Kristen explains the legal framework in Washington state at the time, which mandated that juveniles committing certain serious crimes be tried in adult court. She describes the process of a "decline hearing," where a juvenile judge decides whether to send a case to adult court. The hosts discuss the factors considered in this decision, including the severity of the crime and the juvenile's criminal history. Kristen describes the emotional nature of the decline hearing, where the defense attorney fights to keep Jimerson in the juvenile court system. She highlights the differences between the types of juvenile homicides she encountered, emphasizing the premeditated and targeted nature of Jimerson's crime.

00:23:16

The Trial and its Aftermath

Kristen explains that Jimerson was sent to adult court and the trial began in August. She discusses the media's coverage of the case, noting the public's shock at a 13-year-old being tried as an adult. She describes the process of jury selection and the challenges of finding jurors who could remain impartial despite the case's notoriety. Kristen discusses the difficulties of managing witnesses, particularly those who were homeless or had unstable home lives. She describes the lack of DA investigators at the time and the extra work she and her colleague, Patty, had to do to locate and secure witnesses. Kristen describes the trial's conclusion, including the jury's deliberation and their verdict. She shares the reaction of Anna's family, particularly the bravery of her 11-year-old sister who testified about Anna. She also discusses the sentences received by Jimerson and Williams, and Jimerson's subsequent rehabilitation efforts.

00:53:11

The Case's Impact and Reflections

Kristen reflects on the case's significance to her career, highlighting its impact on her trajectory as a prosecutor. She discusses the challenges of dealing with threats from gang-affiliated witnesses and the emotional toll of the case. She concludes by emphasizing the importance of the work she does and the variety of experiences it offers.

Keywords

Q&A

• What were the key factors that led to the decision to try Jimerson as an adult, despite his young age?

  The severity of the crime, Jimerson's extensive criminal history, and the fact that he was considered a danger to the public were all key factors in the decision to try him as an adult.

• How did the prosecution manage to secure witnesses who were homeless or had unstable home lives?

  Kristen and her colleague, Patty, spent a lot of time outside of work tracking down witnesses, often driving around the city and relying on their own efforts to locate them. They also had to rely on the sheriff's department to serve subpoenas.

• What was the defense's strategy in the trial, and how did the prosecution counter it?

  The defense argued that Jimerson and Williams were both responsible for Anna's death, but that each one's bullet did not necessarily cause her death. The prosecution countered this by using demonstrative evidence, including a mannequin, to show the trajectory of the bullets and prove that either one could have been fatal.

• What was the outcome of the trial, and what happened to Jimerson and Williams?

  Jimerson and Williams were both convicted of murder in the first degree. Jimerson received a 23-year prison sentence and later went on to rehabilitate himself and work in the juvenile justice system. Williams' sentence is not mentioned in the transcript.

• What was the most significant aspect of this case for Kristen, and why?

  This case was significant for Kristen because it was her first felony jury trial, and it involved a 13-year-old defendant, a high-profile case, and threats from gang-affiliated witnesses. It was a challenging and impactful experience that shaped her career as a prosecutor.

Show Notes