The family of 17-year-old Mekhi Stevenson is expressing their outrage after learning that the teenager who fatally shot Mekhi will serve only two years in jail for the crime.
Mekhi, a high school football star, was killed in November 2022 at a Miami home, and the court’s lenient sentence has sparked strong emotions from his family and the local community.
The Tragic Incident
On November 2022, Mekhi Stevenson was hanging out with friends and his younger brother at a home in Miami when a 15-year-old boy pulled out a semi-automatic gun and began playing with it.
According to an arrest affidavit, after removing and reinserting the magazine, Mekhi’s younger brother warned the shooter that the gun was loaded and asked him to put it away.
However, the 15-year-old teen reportedly checked the gun by pulling the slide back and then claimed it wasn’t loaded because the cartridge didn’t eject.
He continued to wave the gun recklessly around until it was pointed at Mekhi, and he intentionally pulled the trigger. Mekhi, shot in the chest, ran to another room, collapsed, and died from his injuries.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing several people flee after the shooting. The 15-year-old shooter was taken into custody at the home and charged with manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a minor, and improper exhibition of a firearm.
The Court’s Decision
Despite admitting to the shooting, the 15-year-old shooter was sentenced to just two years in jail, a decision that has left Mekhi’s family heartbroken and angry. The family had expected a much harsher sentence, with prosecutors and relatives hoping for 12 years behind bars given the violent nature of the crime.
During the sentencing, Mekhi’s mother, Sonya Stevenson, spoke out, expressing her devastation over the judge’s decision. “I just feel like I’m burying Mekhi all over again,” she said. “Two years? Two years for a life? We have waited longer for justice than the time that she gave him. They failed me. They failed me terribly.”
Sonya also reflected on her son’s untimely death, sharing that she had tried to warn Mekhi about the shooter’s concerning behavior. She expressed her heartbreak over the way her son died, knowing that he was likely in fear and pain when the fatal shot was fired. “I know my child was afraid. I know he was panicking when that bullet hit his chest, and the fact that I couldn’t be there to comfort him is destroying me.”
Mekhi’s Dreams and the Push for Justice Reform
Mekhi Stevenson was known for his talent on the football field, with dreams of playing in the NFL, inspired by his idol, Lamar Jackson. His family is now using this tragic incident as a platform to call for reform in the juvenile justice system, particularly regarding how violent crimes committed by minors are sentenced.
It remains unclear whether the 15-year-old shooter will serve his sentence in a juvenile facility or be tried as an adult, but the leniency of the sentence has sparked calls for harsher penalties for violent offenses committed by minors.
The Larger Issue of Juvenile Sentencing in Florida
Mekhi’s family’s fight for justice highlights broader concerns about the treatment of juvenile offenders in Florida’s justice system. An analysis by the Miami Herald revealed that, historically, Florida judges have imposed higher sentences on juvenile offenders for felony crimes compared to adult offenders.
Juveniles tried as adults were sentenced to more than three years in prison on average for third-degree felonies, such as burglary or assault, which is longer than the sentences typically handed to adults for the same charges.
For more serious offenses, such as first and second-degree felonies, children and adults often receive similar sentences. Overall, the analysis found that juveniles tried as adults in Florida were sentenced to an average of more than five years for felony charges, compared to three and a half years for adults.
A Call for Change
The Stevenson family’s experience with the justice system has underscored the perceived leniency in how juvenile offenders are treated, especially in cases involving violent crimes.
As the family continues to mourn their loss, they are pushing for a change in the way the juvenile justice system handles such cases, calling for tougher sentencing for minors who commit serious offenses.
While the two-year sentence has brought little closure to the family of Mekhi Stevenson, their efforts to reform juvenile justice in Florida could help prevent future tragedies from being met with similar leniency.