Zaiden M. Guy, 13, has been arrested and charged with six felonies: homicide, felony murder, robbery resulting in serious injury, theft, unlawful carrying of a firearm, and criminal recklessness. His arrest follows an investigation of the robbery and murder of 24-year-old Byron Dennis at a Circle K store in Marion, IN on the night of March 11, 2024. While these allegations have not yet been tried in court, this petition does not dispute the validity of Guy's arrest. 

However, this petition does contend that a defendant as young as 13 years-old cannot be legitimately charged as an adult. The Bill of Rights of the Indiana State Constitution, section 18, states, "The penal code shall be founded on the principles of reformation, and not of vindictive justice." Signers of this petition agree that prosecuting any 13 year-old as an adult is inherently vindictive rather than reformative. 

Furthermore, the charges are vindictive when they are repetitive. When there is only one deceased victim, one charge to account for the murder is sufficient. One charge should also be sufficient for the robbery/theft.  Signers of this petition call upon the Grant County prosecutor to reduce the charges against Zaiden Guy to only those that are necessary to cover the main offenses in this case. 

Finally, signers of this petition agree that serious criminal offenses merit a serious and appropriate penalty. However, we also agree that Zaiden Guy's age and immaturity must be considered as mitigating if he is found guilty of the crimes. If Guy is found guilty, he should have opportunities to receive his education and to have the reformation called for in the state constitution.

We want to gather signatures up until the prosecutor meets our request or until the charges have been adjudicated. 

The short version:

In accord with the Indiana State Constitution . . . 

1) If the charges are adjudicated against Zaiden Guy, treat him as a juvenile defendant, not as an adult defendant. 

2) Reduce the charges against Zaiden Guy to only those that account for the basic facts of the crime, without trying to pile on charges for the possibility of a longer sentence. 

3) However the case is adjudicated, if Zaiden Guy is found guilty, sentence him appropriately for a juvenile offender, in accord with the Indiana bill of rights, with opportunities to earn his education.