Death of Amy Joyner-Francis
On April 21, 2016, Amy Joyner-Francis, a female 16-year-old student at Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington, Delaware, was assaulted and killed by another student in a school bathroom while two other students assisted. The incident was widely publicized and started controversy about the appropriate charges of teenagers involved in situations of school violence and assault.[5]
Entrance to Howard High School of Technology | |
Date | April 21, 2016 |
---|---|
Time | c. 8:18 am EST[1] |
Location | Howard High School of Technology, Wilmington, Delaware, U.S. |
Coordinates | 39°44′47.6″N 75°32′29.6″W |
Type | Assault, school violence, homicide |
Motive | Personal dispute |
Deaths | 1 (Amy Joyner-Francis) |
Verdict | Guilty on all counts |
Convictions | Trinity Carr: negligent homicide (overturned), third-degree criminal conspiracy[2][3]
Zion Snow: third-degree criminal conspiracy Chakeira Wright: third-degree criminal conspiracy |
Sentence | 6 months in juvenile detention (Trinity Carr)[4] |
Criminal charges and lawsuits
Trinity Carr, the student who assaulted and killed Joyner-Francis, was originally charged with both negligent homicide and third-degree criminal conspiracy, while Zion Snow and Chakeira Wright were only charged with the latter.[6] All three girls were released on bail in May 2016, but were later found guilty on all counts.[7]
On March 1, 2018, the Supreme Court of Delaware overturned Carr's negligent homicide conviction, ruling that Carr could not have known that Joyner-Francis would die when she assaulted her. Her conspiracy charge, however, was upheld.[8]
Joyner-Francis's parents settled a lawsuit with the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District for negligence and deprivation of constitutional rights in April 2018.[9]
Aftermath
An autopsy by the Delaware medical examiner determined that Joyner-Francis died from cardiac arrest, caused by blunt force trauma and complications from a previous heart condition that Joyner-Francis had prior to her assault. It was confirmed, however, that Joyner-Francis would not have died if she had not been assaulted.[10]
References
- Lehman, Tom (21 Apr 2016). "Classmates hold vigil for student fatally wounded in attack at Howard High School". WDEL. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- Horn, Brittany (9 May 2016). "3 teens charged in death of Howard High School student". Delaware Online. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- Wilson, Xerxes (1 March 2018). "Delaware Supreme Court overturns conviction in fatal Howard High School bathroom attack". Delaware Online. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- https://www.wdel.com/news/the-tragic-death-of-wilmingtons-16-year-old-amy-joyner-francis/collection_226c6a68-c893-11e6-8c7e-d7ce0d166a23.html
- Lehman, Tom (21 Apr 2016). "Classmates hold vigil for student fatally wounded in attack at Howard High School". WDEL. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- Horn, Brittany (9 May 2016). "3 teens charged in death of Howard High School student". Delaware Online. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
- Cherry, Amy (10 May 2016). "Girls charged in Joyner-Francis death free on bail". WDEL. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Wilson, Xerxes (1 Mar 2018). "Delaware Supreme Court overturns conviction in fatal Howard High School bathroom attack". Delaware Online. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- "Family of Delaware Girl Who Died in School Beating Settles with School District". Murphy & Landon. 10 Dec 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
- Wilson, Xerxes (2 Mar 2018). "Joyner-Francis family 'cannot find peace or justice' in Delaware, spokeswoman says". Delaware Online. Retrieved 31 July 2020.