PHOENIX, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- A 9-year-old boy charged with rape in Arizona is at the center of a debate about whether he is mature and intelligent enough to stand trial, authorities say.
Phoenix prosecutor Cindi Nannetti argues the boy, charged with taking part in a gang rape of an 8-year-old girl, can adequately understand court procedures. But defense attorneys and two child psychologists disagree, The Arizona Republic reported Monday.
The boy and three others -- aged 14, 13 and 10 -- allegedly lured the girl into a storage shed and raped her, court documents say. All four are refugees from Liberia.
The three older boys will all be tried on charges including kidnapping and sexual assault, but the status of the 9-year-old remains undetermined, officials say.
A child psychologist testified he is incompetent to stand trial. He will probably not understand the meaning of the charges or what might happen to him in a trial, Dr. Janet Perry said.
