He brutally attacked his own father, stabbing him repeatedly with a knife, and pled guilty to charges of attempted murder in juvenile court in order to avoid being tried as an adult. Some observers questioned whether Shawn's sentence from the juvenile court judge was too lenient, and whether it showed that the system treats white offenders differently than those of other races.

He was a "frequent flyer" in the juvenile system, with seven theft-related offenses on his record. Prosecutors believed the juvenile system could do nothing more for him, and wanted him tried as an adult for his latest offenses, auto theft and residential burglary. But his attorney believed the system had let him down and fought hard to get him one more shot.

He took part in a violent fight, allegedly gang-related, in which one person was killed and another injured. Although tried as an adult, he served his sentence in Juvenile Hall, and by all accounts has turned his life around. To those who worked with him, Jose represents how kids, even those charged with violent offenses, can change when given a chance.

Manny took part in an assault on a neighborhood family. One of the victims was pregnant. Because of the brutality of the attack, Manny was tried as an adult and pled guilty to seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon. On January 22, 2001, Manny was sentenced to nine years at state prison.