JUNIOR DA HELPS POLICE SOLVE BURGLARY

Student Credits D.A. Youth Program for Her “Investigative” Knack

Atlanta- 12-year-old Jessica Maple was at first a reluctant participant in the Fulton County Junior District Attorney program. Thanks to her mother’s insistence that she participate, the young Sandtown Middle School student would eventually discover she has the makings of a modern day ‘Sherlock Holmes.’ In July 2011, young Jessica took on a burglary investigation 180 miles away in Fitzgerald, Georgia becoming a surprising and helpful aide to police in the identification of two suspects.

On July 13, 2011, a distraught Stephanie Maple-Jessica’s mother- picked her up from a day of classes and field trips with the Fulton County District Attorney’s ‘Junior DA’ summer program. The Maples had just received word that someone had broken into the family home once belonging to Jessica’s late great-grandmother in Fitzgerald. The family drove to the small Georgia town to discover that several pieces of furniture and other household items had been stolen from the home.

An inquisitive Jessica, who had just attended a ‘Junior DA’ class on forensics class a couple of days earlier, began asking police plenty of questions regarding fingerprints, evidence preservation and tracking down leads. Says Fitzgerald Police Detective Seargent James Tilley who led the investigation, “She was a very inquisitive young lady. I was impressed with her enthusiasm and interest. You don’t see that in many kids her age.”  Det. Sgt. Tilley upon first meeting with the Maple family, urged them to take inventory of the missing items once they had a chance to compose themselves. An anxious Jessica, however, wanted answers sooner rather than later. She asked her parents to take her to a local pawn shop. As soon as she entered the establishment, she saw several of her great-grandmother’s furnishings in the store. Calling on her ‘investigative’ training from class she began questioning the owner. “I asked him if the people who sold these things to him had shown their i-d’s and if they did, did he make copies.”  As it turned out, the men who had pawned the goods had provided identification which the owner in turn photocopied for his files. The Maples called Det. Sgt. Tilley with excitement. The lead from young Jessica Maple led to arrest warrants being issued for two male suspects.

Jessica recounted her crime-solving experience in an essay she shared at the recent Junior DA graduation ceremony on July 28, 2011.  Now in its 13th year, The Junior District Attorney Program pioneered by Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr., is a law-centered educational program geared toward middle school students in Fulton County.  The program provides students with an overview of the criminal justice system and exposes them to various facets of local government and courts via classroom lessons and field trips. During this year’s program, students had an opportunity to meet with Georgia Supreme Court Justice Harold Melton and Governor Nathan Deal who both encouraged them to continue their studies and never quell their quest for learning. Several law enforcement agencies also carved out time in their schedules for special presentations to the Junior DAs which included demonstrations of drug testing equipment and an ‘evidence preservation’ machine.  The highlight of the summer program, as it usually is, was the opportunity to appear as featured guests on CNN’s Nancy Grace Show, hosted by Grace, a former Fulton County Assistant District Attorney. The program culminated with a graduation ceremony and where the students were pinned with a special DA badge which they proudly affixed to their signature Junior DA blazers. District Attorney Paul Howard was pleased with this class of graduates and particularly impressed with young Jessica Maple. “I am always proud of our Junior District Attorneys. These young people are a testament to what is good about our youth. With positive examples, children can achieve anything. Jessica showed initiative and zeal and in the process helped to create a better society by assisting police with getting two criminals off the street. Her future is bright.” 

After recounting her story for her classmates, Jessica was featured in a local news story             on WSB-TV. The good news of her good deeds spread like wildfire. Jessica has since       appeared on Good Morning America, FOX News, CBS Early Show, CNN and HLN        Prime News. Her family is also entertaining calls from Inside Edition and the Rachel Ray      show. We appreciate your fine work.

Jessica says she’d liked to pursue a career in anthropology, but DA Howard is already fairly certain a career in law enforcement (or perhaps TV) would be a good fit.