A decision has been made for one of the teenage girls involved in the brutal beating of 64-year-old Reggie Brown in October of last year. According to WUSA9, the 13-year-old was sentenced on Wednesday to remain in custody until her 21st birthday, which is the maximum penalty for a juvenile in D.C. The sentencing comes after a guilty verdict of second-degree murder for participating in the deadly attack.
The courtroom heard an apology from the tearful teen, who expressed regret over her involvement and wished to start her life over. However, embodying the full weight of the crime, the recorded video showing her celebratory stance after the assault was noted by Superior Court Judge Kendra Briggs as "horrific." As she decided on the sentence, Judge Briggs emphasized that the girl had chosen to partake in the crime, despite having every opportunity to walk away, "especially noting that the girl took a selfie video after beating Brown with someone in the background yelling "we just killed a n-----!" according to information obtained by WUSA9.
During the trial, the extent of the assault's brutality came to light with revelations that the group of teenage girls, ranging from 12 to 15 years old, attacked Brown out of boredom. The CBS Austin reported that the teens were looking for something to do when they decided to seek out a victim.
Despite the sentences being handed down to those involved, the family of Reggie Brown continues to seek justice and systemic changes. In a statement to CBS Austin, the Brown family expressed an intention to join other aggrieved families to ensure that laws are amended and accountability is held for juveniles who commit serious crimes. As the family stands stoically against the memory of the crime, they do not accept the girl's apology, as one of Reggie's older sisters, Malda Brown, told WUSA9, "She didn’t give no remorse or no empathy or no sympathy."
More details about the night of the attack emerged in previous trials, including the fact that the teens and an unknown man were caught on a surveillance video chasing Brown after the man briefly walked away to talk to the teens. As reported by The Washington Post, after the assault, which led to Brown's death from blunt force trauma to the head, the youngest in the group recorded the grievous acts while others taunted the dying man with shouts, such as "Damn, you leakin'!"
