by Jean Hellwege

About the author: Jean Hellwege is senior editor of Trial, the monthly magazine of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

The crime seems too monstrous to contemplate. A six-year-old boy, accompanied by eight-year-old twin brothers, allegedly broke into an apartment, sought out a one-month-old baby, and punched, kicked, and beat the infant nearly to death.

Juveniles Are Committing More Violent Crimes

The baby survived but is expected to suffer permanent brain damage. The six- year-old, who reportedly said he wanted to kill the baby because the baby’s parents had harassed him and looked at him the wrong way, has since been charged with assault and trespassing. The twins have each been charged with burglary.

The assault, which occurred in April 1996 in a run-down section of Richmond, California, is a shocking anomaly. It...