Two fifth-grade students in Florida were taken into custody and charged with possession of weapons on school grounds and conspiracy to commit battery. The two students were also suspended. The incident that led to the detentions and suspensions occurred on Jan. 11.
Reportedly, a student at the school informed a teacher that two students had weapons and planned to fight another student. School staff spoke to the third student, and that student reported being told by other classmates throughout the day that the 10-year-old and 11-year-old planned to kill him. He also said the two students had said several days earlier that they were going to kill him and that he had been bullied. He said that he was supposed to meet another student later that day in a secret location.
During questioning, the other two students said they did not plan to kill the boy. One said the plan was only to talk with him about a school rumor. Allegedly, in the backpack of one of the students taken into custody, the principal found a white baseball-style glove, a pair of Kleins, a pipe wrench, a Leatherman Tool that had a three-inch blade and a pair of pliers.
A person who is facing charges of this nature might want to consult an Orlando, Florida, murder and violent charges attorney. People should not assume that the consequences will not be serious because they are juveniles or there are other extenuating circumstances. An attorney might negotiate a plea deal depending on the severity of the charges and the evidence or may be able to challenge the allegations. For example, the accuracy of eyewitness accounts or forensic evidence might be questioned during the trial.
Source: My Sun Coast, “2 fifth-graders planned to murder classmate, Florida police say”, Jan. 16, 2019