The tragedy of Preston Lord's death spurs officials to enact laws against 'new type of crime'
Queen Creek, Arizona: Nearly a year after members of the so-called Gilbert Goons beat 16-year-old Preston Lord to death, local and state officials are still grappling with the troubling issue of how to deal with violent teen street gangs in East Valley. Now officials are pushing for new legislation that would lead to tougher penalties for teens involved in violent crimes.
The legislation would create a new crime category called "swarming", which refers to group attacks where multiple individuals target a single victim. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, whose office helped develop the idea, said current laws do not adequately address the severity of these mob-like assaults. Under current statutes, individuals involved in such attacks are often charged with misdemeanors or class six felonies, the lowest level of felony charges.
State Representatives Matt Gress and Julie Willoughby will sponsor the bill. If passed, the legislation would escalate charges for assaults involving two or more accomplices to a class four felony, which carries stiffer penalties. This would allow for higher bonds and longer detention times, with the goal of keeping violent offenders off the streets and deterring future attacks.
But is it a case of too little too late for the shattered Lord family? In fact, the family are strong proponents of the proposal, and are now hopeful that it will become law. In a statement, they said, "The dangers posed by these types of attacks go beyond individual acts of violence. They often lead to severe physical and psychological harm, and in Preston’s case, the unimaginable."
As for the Preston Lord case, the seven suspects in the murder have been indicted on charges of first-degree murder and are awaiting trial.
What is 'swarming'?
The term 'swarming' as a crime refers to group attacks where multiple individuals (often youth or gangs) assault a single victim. Swarming is not a legal term in the US, but it is in Canada and some European countries to describe coordinated group assaults. In Canada for example swarming is often treated as aggravated assault or manslaughter depending on the severity of the incident.
In the US 'swarming', though not a formal term, is covered as a concept under existing laws related to assault and battery, where the crimes are often charged based on the severity of harm inflicted, regardless of how many people were involved. However, the presence of multiple attackers may lead to additional charges, such as conspiracy, gang activity, or participation in organized criminal acts.
In certain states, laws governing gang activity or mob-related violence could apply. This includes harsher penalties for coordinated assaults by multiple perpetrators.