Willie Bosket
Encyclopedia
Willie James Bosket is a convicted murder
er, whose crimes, committed while he was still a minor, led to a change in New York
state law, so that juveniles as young as 13 could be tried as an adult for murder and would face the same penalties. Juveniles 14 and up could be tried as an adult for crimes including murder, rape, arson, assault and burglary.
On Sunday, March 19, 1978, Bosket, then fifteen years old, shot dead Noel Perez on the New York City subway
during an attempted robbery. Eight days later, Bosket shot dead another man, Moises Perez (no relation to his first victim) in another attempted robbery.
Bosket was tried and convicted of the murders in New York City's family court
, where he was sentenced to a maximum of five years in a state youth facility. The short length of Bosket's sentence caused a huge public outcry, and led the New York State Legislature to pass the Juvenile Offender Act of 1978. Under this act, children as young as thirteen years old could be tried in an adult court for crimes such as murder, and receive the same penalties as adults. New York was the first state to enact a law of this nature; many other legislatures have since followed suit.
He was sent to state prison for four years after trying to break out of the youth facility, and was released in 1983. After 100 days he was arrested when a man living in his apartment complex claimed Bosket had robbed and assaulted him. While awaiting trial, he assaulted several court officers. He was found guilty of attempted assault for the dispute in the apartment and sentenced to seven years in prison. Not long after that, he was convicted of assault and arson
. Under New York's habitual-offender law, he was sentenced to 25 years to life. He has since drawn two additional life sentences for offenses committed while in the maximum-security Shawangunk Correctional Facility
, including assaulting a guard with a chain and stabbing another.
As of March 2011, Bosket (NYSDOCS
inmate number 84A6391) was housed in a special cell at Woodbourne Correctional Facility
. He will not be eligible for parole until 2062.
In 1995, New York Times reporter Fox Butterfield wrote All God's Children: The Bosket Family and the American Tradition of Violence (ISBN 0-307-28033-0), an examination of the escalating violence and criminality in succeeding generations of the Bosket family.
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
er, whose crimes, committed while he was still a minor, led to a change in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state law, so that juveniles as young as 13 could be tried as an adult for murder and would face the same penalties. Juveniles 14 and up could be tried as an adult for crimes including murder, rape, arson, assault and burglary.
On Sunday, March 19, 1978, Bosket, then fifteen years old, shot dead Noel Perez on the New York City subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
during an attempted robbery. Eight days later, Bosket shot dead another man, Moises Perez (no relation to his first victim) in another attempted robbery.
Bosket was tried and convicted of the murders in New York City's family court
Family court
A family court is a court convened to decide matters and make orders in relation to family law, such as custody of children. In common-law jurisdictions "family courts" are statutory creations primarily dealing with equitable matters devolved from a court of inherent jurisdiction, such as a...
, where he was sentenced to a maximum of five years in a state youth facility. The short length of Bosket's sentence caused a huge public outcry, and led the New York State Legislature to pass the Juvenile Offender Act of 1978. Under this act, children as young as thirteen years old could be tried in an adult court for crimes such as murder, and receive the same penalties as adults. New York was the first state to enact a law of this nature; many other legislatures have since followed suit.
He was sent to state prison for four years after trying to break out of the youth facility, and was released in 1983. After 100 days he was arrested when a man living in his apartment complex claimed Bosket had robbed and assaulted him. While awaiting trial, he assaulted several court officers. He was found guilty of attempted assault for the dispute in the apartment and sentenced to seven years in prison. Not long after that, he was convicted of assault and arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
. Under New York's habitual-offender law, he was sentenced to 25 years to life. He has since drawn two additional life sentences for offenses committed while in the maximum-security Shawangunk Correctional Facility
Shawangunk Correctional Facility
Shawangunk Correctional Facility is a maximum security prison for males located in Ulster County, New York in the United States.- History :The prison was constructed in 1983 to expand the maximum security capabilities of the state prison system and was located near the existing Wallkill...
, including assaulting a guard with a chain and stabbing another.
As of March 2011, Bosket (NYSDOCS
New York State Department of Correctional Services
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision or NYSDOCCS is the agency of New York State responsible for the care, confinement, and rehabilitation of approximately 63,000 inmates at 71 correctional facilities funded by the State of New York. The department employs...
inmate number 84A6391) was housed in a special cell at Woodbourne Correctional Facility
Woodbourne Correctional Facility
Woodbourne Correctional Facility is a medium security men's prison operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services in Woodbourne, New York of Sullivan County...
. He will not be eligible for parole until 2062.
In 1995, New York Times reporter Fox Butterfield wrote All God's Children: The Bosket Family and the American Tradition of Violence (ISBN 0-307-28033-0), an examination of the escalating violence and criminality in succeeding generations of the Bosket family.
External links
- The Bosket case at crimelibrary.com
- "A Boy Who Killed Coldly Is Now a Prison 'Monster'" - The New York Times, March 22, 1989
- "Bosket Loses Federal Court Ruling Over Being Shackled to Cell Door" - The New York Times, June 6, 1989
- "Two Decades in Solitary" - The New York Times, September 22, 2008
- Review of All God's Children: The Bosket Family and the American Tradition of Violence