Nathaniel Abraham's Kevo

In 1999, 13-year old Nathaniel Abraham became the youngest person ever to be tried as an adult for first degree murder in the United States. On October 29, 1997, Abraham, age 11, after boasting to his girlfriend that he wanted to shoot somebody, stole a gun and did just that. His victim, 18-year old carpenter Ronnie Greene Jr., had never even met Abraham. Greene was found dead on the night in question of a single bullet wound to the head outside of a convenience store near Abraham's home. Abraham is now in the middle of a national issue, whether juveniles should be held accountable for violent crimes.

Abraham grew up in a poverty-stricken section of Pontiac, Michigan. His father disappeared shortly after his birth and Abraham went to live with neighbors of his single mother, Gloria Abraham. He later joined his mother and three siblings in their home, but early on showed signs of trouble and frequently violent behavior. He was expelled from three schools in two years and in 1994 was tested for a learning disability and diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and severe emotional damage. He was also found to function mentally at a level three or four years younger than his actual age, which was verified by court psychologists during his trial. Abraham's mother sought help from authorities on numerous occasions, but her requests for assistance were never followed up on and Abraham "fell through the cracks."

On November 16, 1999, Abraham was convicted, as an adult, of second degree murder, re-igniting the international debate of what to do with juvenile offenders. The NAACP and Amnesty International have officially labeled Nathaniel Abraham a victim of the United States social systems, blaming the government for not assisting Abraham early on and questioning whether a child could even be capable of understanding such a crime.
Climb to Fame
Youngest person (13 years old) to be tried as an adult of First Degree Murder.
Affiliations
NAACP - claim him as official "victim" of U.S. Government

Amnesty International - Poster Child