On the morning of Aug. 26, nearly 20 people gathered in front of the Juvenile Justice Campus in a series of protests to stand against Proposition 57, many with signs depicting their loved ones who died by juvenile violence. 

The demonstrations centered in Fresno after the murder of 18-year-old Caleb Quick on April 23 outside of the McDonald’s on Willow and Nees Avenues. 

Among the protesters was Stephen Quick, Caleb’s father. One of the signs dedicated in Caleb’s honor read, “adult crime, adult time.”

“Our goal here is to bring awareness to Prop 57 and what it has done to California,” Stephen said. “Teenagers can get out with a very light sentence by killing people, with or without motives.” 

When it was passed in 2016, Prop 57 was meant to emphasize rehabilitation in the justice system and prioritize public safety. The amendment requires the following:

• Minors must have a hearing in juvenile court before advancing to adult court. 
• Judges get the ultimate say in whether a juvenile is tried as a minor or an adult, rather than the prosecutors. 
• Those who are convicted of nonviolent crimes are eligible for parole once they have served the full sentence for their primary offense and do not pose a public threat. 

Two juvenile suspects were arrested and taken into custody in May for Caleb’s murder, and the juvenile court is still determining whether or not they will be tried as adults. Both suspects will remain in custody of the court until their sentence is determined. 

“This movement we’ve started is growing,” Stephen said. “I feel that parents [who] are coming out are just as heartbroken as every parent [who] loses a child to teen violence.” 

Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, an opponent of Prop 57, spoke at the protest and offered condolences to the grieving families who were present.

“The disgrace of Prop 57 is that it takes away the authority and the discretion from prosecutors and from the courts to really assess each case individually,” Smittcamp said. 

Smittcamp added that Prop 57 motivates violent gang activity among minors because of its leniency, ultimately perpetuating criminal behavior.

“[Gangs] are encouraging young people because they tell them, flat out, ‘you will not be accountable, you will not have to serve much time,’” she said. “They are literally creating younger criminals because of the law.”

Juan Carlos Velazquez traveled over 200 miles from Santa Maria to attend the demonstration after his son, Brandon Mendez Cabrera, was killed on July 4. 

“We just want justice for our son [who] was murdered by a juvenile,” Velazquez said. “Because of that law, Prop 57, the max he’ll do is 10 years.”

As reported by Noozhawk, Mendez Cabrera’s killer was charged with first-degree murder and remained in juvenile court for the duration of his trial. Velazquez and other family members protested in Santa Maria earlier this month.

“I don’t think that’s justice,” Velazquez said. “Kids should be tried as an adult for crimes like murder [and] rape.”

In June, during a court hearing for Caleb’s murder case, the accused shooter’s defense lawyer, Mark W. Coleman, asserted that the suspect’s age played a role in his crime.

“Their brains are not fully formed,” Coleman said. “Sometimes a reaction is spontaneous, sometimes a reaction is ill-considered, it’s rash.”

Caleb’s case remains ongoing as the suspects continue to appear in juvenile court. The male suspect’s next status hearing is set for October, while the female suspect’s could draw into next year, ABC30 reports. 

The Collegian will continue to provide updates as the trial and movement against Prop 57 persist.