Oglesby v. State

In Oglesby v. State, 329 Ark. 127, 946 S.W.2d 693 (1997), the Court considered the juxtaposition of a serious property offense with an eighteen year old's prospects for rehabilitation in the context of juvenile transfer. Among other things, Oglesby was charged in circuit court with residential burglary, a class B felony. At the time of his arrest on the charge, Oglesby was seventeen years old, and he turned eighteen shortly before the hearing on his motion to transfer. The trial court denied Oglesby's motion to transfer to juvenile court. While conceding that the offense charged was a serious one, Oglesby argued on appeal that the lack of violence in the crime charged warranted a transfer. The Court rejected his argument and affirmed, emphasizing that Oglesby had reached eighteen years of age and was no longer eligible for juvenile rehabilitative services. "Based upon the seriousness of a Class B felony and the fact that Oglesby is now eighteen years old, we cannot say that the denial of transfer was clearly erroneous." Id.