Teen takes plea bargain in “gang” beating

Otis Scott-Wilkins pleaded guilty Wednesday, September 6, to helping a group of teens beat up two boys, ages 14 and 17, near the Friendship Court housing project on Garrett Street. The April 21 attack just south of the Downtown Mall left the 14-year-old so badly injured that he had to have metal plates drilled into his jaw.
The group of teens was walking on the Mall when they ran into the 14- and 17-year-old. The kids asked the two friends if they wanted to join the Bloods—a gang started in 1972 in California which is characterized by intense loyalty and drug violence, and has since spread nationally—and if they wanted to smoke pot. The 14- and 17-year-old followed the group off the Mall, where they were beaten.
Scott-Wilkins plea-bargained with prosecutors, pleading guilty to malicious wound-ing, attempted malicious wounding and recruiting juveniles to join a street gang. In exchange, the prosecutors dropped the robbery and other gang-recruitment charges. Scott-Wilkins could still face up to 35 years in jail; his sentencing is scheduled for December 20. Five other teens were also charged. A 17-year-old pleaded guilty in June, and is now with the State Department of Juvenile Justice. A 15-year-old who pleaded guilty has been on supervised probation since August. Another 17-year-old defendant awaits a competency hearing. Two other boys, 17 and 15, have trials set in September and October, respectively.
At the time of the beating, the teens were said to have all been wearing red articles of clothing. City police said in May that the group were not necessarily members of the national gang, but Assistant City Commonwealth’s Attorney Elizabeth Killeen now says, “We believe it to be gang activity. We don’t think that the dynamic is asking whether the folks were on speed dial to Riker’s Island—we think they adopted a group culture of violence. That’s the issue from a community standpoint.”