Ernest Dempsey — There are times when a ‘minor’ can commit a major offense, becoming somebody’s nightmare. The recent 
incident involving the 17-year-old Jarred Scott Poole’s assault on a woman and her dogs in Daytona, Florida, is such a story, evoking concern and raising questions about whether law should show leniency to minors on basis of their age if found guilty of such crimes.
As the story details, Poole physically attacked the woman and repeatedly threw her dogs in the traffic on the road. This led to one dog’s death, a puppy, as it got fatal injuries on the road while the other dog set in motion by the situation got hit by a vehicle and ran away in fear. The woman, 23-year old Jasmine Adams, was also attacked and choked by Poole – her being also pregnant. The police arrested Poole but soon let him go, as reported by an animal rights activist who called the Daytona police that arrested Poole after the incident. The activist in question was told by the concerned juvenile detention section that any details could not be released about Poole as he was a minor.
One may choose to ask the question here how arbitrary our definition of adulthood and age is in relation to the special consideration given to minors who are just a year (or perhaps months or weeks) younger than what is officially considered an adult. A 17-year-old teen as Poole who reportedly has commtted an act of aggression fatal for one family pet and potentially destructive to three other lives – including an unborn child – is clearly as capable of killing as a dangerous criminal who has reached the age of majority. Such an individual can be a minor but his physical strength and capability of doing significant intentional harm is no less than an adult. So when such a person practically terrorizes somebody, he would be expected to be kept in detention; letting him go so soon may not only be possibly threatening to others but detrimental to the psyche of this teen who gets the message: “cool, it’s safe to hurt people and kill pets!”
In contrast, a dog that gets somebody as slight scratch gets killed for it supposedly poses a threat to the public. How do we justify this self-contradictory status of law relating public safety? An animal that left a scratch or just a small bite on a person will be killed for being a public threat, sometimes without evidence; but a human who does practical harm and threatens and destroys life is left to go free while the case is investigated by the police.
Given the incident involving Poole, a petition has been started online asking for maximum punishment for Poole for what he did to Adams and her pets and Facebook page has also been created to gather support in favor of Adams and demand justice in this case where a dangerous guy may get away under the official wing marked as “minor”.
I wish to add my voice to the group of people asking where the justice is here. This young man is dangerous and should be kept locked up until he is seen in court. Throwing dogs into traffic and strangling a woman, least of all a pregnant woman, is the kind of behavior that is especially frightening when committed by someone so young. This is a very dangerous and troubled person who should be behind bars.
Karen Gibbins
i live in the Daytona Beach area, and it made me sick to see this story on our local news and paper. This monster should be in jail.!!! No if, ands or buts about it.!! He will just keep abusing animals and other women. He needs to be punished.!!
This “kid” was just taught he can get away with anything and you are right … a dog will be euthanized over a minor event. Where is the true justice? I bet you a ton of money this kid will go on to commit violent crimes in the future! Shame on Florida and anyone else who lets a kid off when they try to kill someone and do kill animals!
Hang the ********** by the ******
He did because he’s black and know’s he can get away with it…ain’t that right Mr.Jackson & Mr. Sharpton.
the punishment doesn’t match the crime. such blatant disregard for life is wrong & sickening.
nothing to do w. color, nor hanging–sick that you should bring race into this.
we know the criminal justice system usually works the other way.
yes this 17 year old should get the maximum allowed by law.
Evil is evil,no matter the age.This ‘kid’ lacks compassion and respect…..a deadly combination! This will not be his last act of violence. For any person allowing him to get away w/o a severe punishment,consider yourself an accessory to his next crime.It will be coming.
And man oh man do I want to smack that smile off his face!!!!
If Daytona is so concerned with the fact that he is a minor, then why do we have his name and picture? This sorry excuse for a human should be locked up and charged with a first degree felony. Read the state laws. By letting him go you are setting an example that will come back to bite you. You depend on the tourism of locals as much as out of state. Fix this or we will not go to Daytona. I will not feel safe and will go to one of the hundreds of other beaches to enjoy my summer vacation. It’s not like you have a lock on the whole coast thing.
This state is so messed up! People who need to be put in jail, they let walked the streets. The laws need to be changed. The homeless in this state, makes me sick! I am from new jersey. And he wouldn’t of got out if this happen there. Its really sad that we live in a state like this. And if I ever have the money to move out. I am out of florida!
Please help us get justice! We are running out of time.
http://friskyfelinesfoundation.chipin.com/cps-and-animal-control-need-to-pay-for-what-they-have-done
http://www.indiegogo.com/justicefornemo
Volusia County doesn’t really keep any minor unless perhaps they commit murder on a human. The county blames it on funding. Florida is becoming the laughing stock of the United States not just for lack of punishment for criminals but our corrupt Governor as well!! Wake up Florida and fight for what’s right! We need to reclaim our state and enforce justice for this terrible crime!
He may only be 17 but he is over the legal age of consent, he is also over the age that the law has set as the age limit where he can be charged as an adult. Which is 14. Anything younger than 14 is supposed to be rehabilitate-able and is up to the state in question by the severity of the child’s actions on weather the child should be chafed as an adult or not.
Any citizen who has ever heard anything from a psychologist or even on the crime shows that are based on actual cases or are reenactments of actual cases knows that any serial killer has started on small animals, weather it is experimenting or torturing. This 17 year old is, by every means and purposes, a man; he can live on his own, he is old enough to go away to college, he can drive, etc. the only things he can’t do is vote, buy tobacco and alcohol(legally), and buy guns (again legally). The actions he displays by his aggression towards the animals he come in contact with and to that frightened pregnant woman, and most likely others such as family members and friends (or girlfriends) that won’t speak up until it is too late; are actions that are a profiler’s road map to the monster his control and aggression issues are going to turn him into. This young man is a monster and the only things he has to look forward to, unless he is stopped now, is a case file filled with spousal beatings, peeping Tom incidents, violent rapes, and a body count. Most likely including pregnant women, maybe even prostitutes or women who put out an aura of control because he will want to assert his dominance over them. If Daytona beach allows this monster to walk the streets I strongly advise to any women to never walk alone, keep doors and windows locked, close your curtains at night, and keep your pets inside. If this monster is not put behind bars Daytona is going to be a little bit scarier.
The smug look on this kid’s face should tell authorities he knows what he did was horribly wrong and will do it again and knows he won’t get punished. There is no remorse at all shown for what he did. His anger level is out of control and not only harming animals, he also strangled a pregnant woman, possibly harming the unborn fetus. Why is this criminal still out in public. He should be behind bars, don’t tell me there aren’t witnesses to a crime that obviously took place in plain site on a street. What’s to investigate. I don’t believe age should be a factor. He committed a crime, not robbing a candy bar from a grocery, a full blooded major crime. I wouldn’t care if he was 5 years old – he tried to strangle a pregnant woman and he flagrantly murdered one dog and attempted another. What more do the authorities need? This is a Manson in the making!
I feels that “Minor” should not be the reason or excuses for releasing a murderer. The acts from this teenager are unacceptable. He had causes death and injures of animals and physically abused a pregnant woman, at such young age. Life is precious for both animal and human, the acts by this murderer has physically and mentally cause damage to others. And I am sure that he knows what he’s doing on that day and he know he will be fine because of his age.
Government in Daytona should jail and cane him for his act, and the whole world is reading this news. If the government in Daytona can’t or not willing to do something, this will give other teenagers a wrong ideal that such act is acceptable in such age because of being a minor. Government should punish that minor who has committed such violent behavior.
and to think i called animal control for 4 days in daytona trying to get help for some sick cats and they keep telling me that there was no one working…and if he done this dont you think he will move on to bigger things…so its ok to kill animals but what happens when he kills a person..if he is that out there now just stop and think what this MAN and yes i say MAN will do next…this is how it all starts they get away with things and then keep getting away with it…this town is so eaten up with stupid its unreal!!!!!!!
sick *****! I hate his ******* guts ! try him as the **** he is !
I don’t care what his age. This is a violent criminal and should be treated as such. He is a sociopath and a danger to others.