Teen accused of shooting 49ers’ Pearsall won’t be tried as an adult

Pearsall, who had just been drafted by the 49ers earlier that year, survived the shooting and returned to play.

A 17-year-old male from Tracy was charged with attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, and attempted second-degree robbery. Because he was a minor at the time of the shooting, his identity wasn’t released.

The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office argued that the youth should be tried as an adult, asserting that the Juvenile Justice System’s rehabilitation services would not be sufficient for the suspect. But the judge in the case denied the request.

A probation officer and several teachers from the Juvenile Hall of Justice testified to the boy’s academic goals and accomplishments since the shooting, saying he aspires to go to college.

San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju supported the decision, saying that moving the suspect to adult court would only do further harm in his rehabilitation.

“We have juvenile court for a reason, and I hope that today’s ruling serves as a reminder that every young person deserves a chance to access rehabilitation opportunities,” Raju said in a statement. “With the support of his defense attorneys, social workers, and teachers, this young person has shown his ability and desire to get his life on a better track.”

In order for a juvenile case to be moved to adult court, evaluations must be made regarding the gravity and circumstances of the alleged crime, the minor’s criminal history, and their ability to be rehabilitated, according to the state Welfare and Institutions Code.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said she respects the judge’s decision but argued that the Juvenile Justice System won’t be able to sufficiently rehabilitate the suspect.

According to Jenkins, all youths who have completed “secure track” programming in San Francisco’s Juvenile Probation Department “have reoffended and are either pending felony charges in criminal court or been convicted of at least one felony in adult criminal court before the age of 25.”

“Secure track” was established in 2021 in the state as a less restrictive alternative to incarceration as all Division of Juvenile Justice prisons were set to close.

The suspect’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Robert Dunlap, said in a statement that the Juvenile Justice system should be fixed instead of sending youths to adult facilities.

“I understand the District Attorney’s Office has concerns over the rehabilitation services currently on offer in the Juvenile Hall,” Dunlap said. “If in fact there is a problem, the solution lies in improving the system, not sacrificing the child.”