GREEN BAY – Three days earlier than an April 2024 taking pictures on Inexperienced Bay’s east facet locked down Preble High and Danz Elementary faculties, Brown County District Courtroom Decide John Zakowski presided over a listening to in a juvenile case towards the Inexperienced Bay teenager who would trigger the taking pictures.
On the teen’s sentencing Tuesday, Zakowski stated he feels unhealthy that no matter he stated at that listening to “will need to have gone in a single ear and out the opposite.” Zakowski stated judges usually blame themselves when someone they’ve been with for a very long time, as he has with 16-year-old Freddrick Love-Kennedy, finally ends up again of their court docket.
“I really feel unhealthy about as we speak, Freddrick,” Zakowski stated earlier than delivering the sentence. “You are not a foul child, not a foul individual, Freddrick, and I nonetheless consider that.”
Love-Kennedy was sentenced to 10 years of preliminary confinement adopted by 10 years of prolonged supervision after he pleaded no contest Jan. 17 to first-degree reckless harm with a harmful weapon for taking pictures at and injuring a then-16-year-old boy Love-Kennedy had ongoing disputes with.
It was fortunate Zakowski wasn’t presiding over a murder case, prosecuting lawyer Kimberly Hardtke stated, because the sufferer had two gunshot wounds to his arm and bullet fragments in his face, suggesting he might have been shot within the head had his arm not taken the brunt of the pictures.
Love-Kennedy was initially charged with tried first-degree intentional murder within the taking pictures, which occurred close to the intersection of Mills and Village streets simply after 12:30 p.m. April 19, 2024. The sufferer and buddies have been there to combat Love-Kennedy and his cousin, in response to a legal criticism, however Love-Kennedy approached the sufferer’s automobile and pulled out a gun.
Everybody within the automobile bought out and ran when the automobile would not begin, the criticism stated, however the sufferer went again as a result of he forgot his keys within the ignition. Love-Kennedy shot the sufferer twice within the arm and continued firing pictures, pursuing the sufferer as he tried to run away, the criticism stated.
“There are only a few issues worse or (extra) cowardly than taking pictures at someone within the again after they’re working away,” Zakowski stated.
Freddrick Love-Kennedy is escorted to the protection desk earlier than a sentencing listening to on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, on the Brown County Courthouse in Inexperienced Bay, Wis. Love-Kennedy was sentenced to 10 years preliminary confinement and 10 years prolonged supervision after pleading no contest to a cost of first-degree reckless harm with a harmful weapon stemming from an April 2024 taking pictures close to Preble Excessive Faculty. Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
‘Individuals simply gave up on him’
A forensic psychologist spent over six hours administering a number of psychological take a look at to Love-Kennedy, protection lawyer James Schoenecker stated, and his report discovered that Love-Kennedy skilled 9 out of the 10 adverse childhood experiences, together with abuse, neglect, violence, psychological sickness.
Within the report abstract, Schoenecker stated the psychologist famous a short interval of remedy in first grade that wasn’t continued regardless of the remedy showing to assist Love-Kennedy, no historical past of psychological evaluations or household remedy companies regardless of early suggestions for each and general “pervasive neglect” in offering Love-Kennedy with the sources he wanted.
“He is had no stability in his life,” Schoenecker stated. “He suffers from psychological sickness points that have been addressed after which folks simply gave up on him.”
The court docket has to think about Love-Kennedy’s age, developmental stage and potential for rehabilitation, Schoenecker stated, and “his conduct just isn’t indicative of lifelong patterns.” Maintaining Love-Kennedy related to his group and his household is significant in decreasing his probabilities of recidivism, Schoenecker stated.
The protection requested Zakowski to condemn Love-Kennedy to seven years in jail adopted by seven years of prolonged supervision. Whereas Love-Kennedy was convicted in grownup court docket, he’s solely 16, Schoenecker informed Zakowski, “please remember that.”
Brown County Circuit Decide John Zakowski addresses the events throughout a sentencing listening to on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, on the Brown County Courthouse in Inexperienced Bay.
‘We nonetheless consider in you’
All the pieces Schoenecker stated about how Love-Kennedy was failed in his childhood, Zakowski stated he agrees with. It is one thing he sees usually in his courtroom, thinks about continually and even thought of Tuesday morning at Mass.
The circumstances folks like Love-Kennedy face bothers him, Zakowski stated, “it ought to trouble everyone,” and he takes it into consideration when delivering sentences. Nevertheless, Love-Kennedy’s case is “about as critical because it will get,” Zakowski stated, and the “punishment has to suit the crime.”
That punishment, Zakowski decided, needs to be 10 years of intial confinement in jail and 10 years of prolonged supervision after launch. Love-Kennedy apologized to the sufferer via a letter learn by his lawyer, one thing Zakowski stated he was glad to listen to after studying that Love-Kennedy continued to disclaim his actions to the pre-sentence investigator.
“Fairly frankly, Freddrick, when you hadn’t apologized, I might need added one other yr simply to strike house the purpose that you need to take accountability,” Zakowski stated.
Hopefully, in a extra constructive and confined setting, Love-Kennedy will be capable to mature and make higher selections, Zakowski stated.
“Freddrick, sometime I hope to see you out on this group, with a job, feeling liked and being completely happy,” Zakowski stated. “I nonetheless, we nonetheless consider in you.”
Vivian Barrett is the general public security reporter for the Inexperienced Bay Press-Gazette. You possibly can attain her at vmbarrett@greenbay.gannett.com or (920) 431-8314. Comply with her on X, previously Twitter, at @vivianbarrett_.
This text initially appeared on Inexperienced Bay Press-Gazette: Freddrick Love-Kennedy of Green Bay sentenced in 2024 shooting
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