A 12-year-old boy who killed his neo-Nazi dad may testify in his trial now that prosecturs have rested their case. Joseph Hall is on trial for killing his father, Jeffrey Hall, in May 2011. Reuters reported Jan. 7 that the trial is moving along, and closing arguments may happen on Wednesday.
The boy who killed his neo-Nazi dad shot him at point blank range. Joseph Hall, who was 10-years-old at the time, originally entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, but that has since been withdrawn. Hall's lawyer, Matthew Hardy, plans to confer with his young client before deciding whether Joseph will testify on his own behalf. Hardy has also said he may ask for the charges to be dismissed, claiming that the prosecutors haven't proven Hall was culpable.
If Joseph Hall is found responsible for the crime, he may be sent to a juvenile facility until he turns 23-years-old. The clinical psychologist who testified said that the boy who killed his neo-Nazi dad knew right from wrong, but he has a borderline low IQ and has a “conduct disorder.” He is said to have endured years of emotional and physical abuse, and the expert said likely sexual abuse as well.
The defense says that Jeffrey Hall was violent and racist, and the boy killed his neo-Nazi dad because Joseph Hall thought his father was planning to divorce his stepmother. Additional reports from ABC out at the time the trial was originally supposed to start indicated that the boy said he was tired of his dad's abuse. The young boy took a .357 handgun and shot his sleeping father. The boy's stepmother was also facing charges for child endangerment due to the many unsecured guns found in the family's home.
The judge is expected to make a ruling on this case Wednesday or Thursday. Have you been following this case? Do you think the boy who killed his neo-Nazi dad at the age of 10 should be sent to a juvenile facility?
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