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August 2008, Wilford Hamilton and Lee Hoffman, both 61 and homeless were killed in a group beating in Pontiac, Michigan. 15-year-old Thomas McCloud was found guilty of first degree felony murder although during sentencing this may be reduced to second degree murder. Another 15-year-old Dontez Tillman has also been charged with first degree murder with a possible reduction to second degree. Both teens may be given life imprisonment without possibility of parole.

The defendant's lawyer Howard Arnkoff who represented McCloud argued that the prosecution had weak evidence at best, his family could place him at home around the time of the incident, the videos used by the prosecution were jumbled and invalid. and the prosecution could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that his client was involved. Tillman's Defense Attorney had a similar argument.

The Prosecution's argument was based on a series of interviews with the defendants which assisting prosecuting attorney Gregory Townsend described as confessions.

After roughly five hours of deliberation the jury convicted McCloud of murder in the first degree, the charge carries a life sentence without parole, sentencing was set for November 13, 2009. Tillman's trial is still in progress.

This event relates to adolescance because the defendants are both teenagers, and it is related to justice because both teens were tried in court. It relates to the current unit because as in the crucible at first they had similar stories but by the end they were accusing eachother.

LEUBSDOR, B. (2009, October 27). Jury convicts teenager in mich. homeless killings. //Associated Press//, 1.

(Photographer). (n.d.). //Group beatings// [Web]. Retrieved from http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/KLN/SM139~Caution-Beatings-To-Occur-Posters.jpg