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While the names have been changed, reporter Rita Marcoli provides a true account of an actual crime case involving three juveniles. In 1995, Anna Lucas admitted to being involved in the savage killing of Fred and Wilma Burns, the grandparents of her boyfriend, Lory Sanchez. Lucas, Sanchez, and David Kline gathered to drink in Sanchez's bedroom and were subsequently found out by the Burns', which precipitated the murders. Lucas was sentenced to seventy-three and a half years in prison. Her sentence was largely the result of a plea deal that the prosecution struck with Kline, although the defense hadn't found out about the deal until it was too late.
The main point Marcoli is trying to make is that Lucas had her rights violated and was the victim of trial misconduct that could have turned the results completely around. This is besides the fact that Lucas had severe mental incapacities. So what constitutes putting a juvenile in prison for so long, offering no hope for rehabilitation?
Broken into small chapters, Murder in a Child's Mind is a quick read that brings up a lot of good questions. Marcoli feels strongly about the case, and her reporting skills and thorough research provide depth to the book. Some of the chapters, specifically the one describing what happened on the day of the actual murder, are difficult to follow because of the lack of pronoun usage, but when the author delves into the actual trial reporting, it's fascinating to read.