JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 14-year-old Jacksonville girl arrested after investigators said she threatened to kill other students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts was warned by a judge to stay of of trouble while the State Attorney's Office decides if she will face charges.
Amani Bracy appeared before a judge Monday, but her arraignment was passed until Jan. 6 because charges have not been filed against her.
Bracy's mother told Judge Suzzanne Bass that Bracy has transferred from Douglas Anderson to Grand Park Educational Center, a Duval County alternative school for teens with discipline issues.
The judge explained what was happening to Bracy and then gave her some advice.
Bass: Amani, play by the rules. Behave. Do you understand all of that?
Bracy: Yes.
Bass: Do I need to go over it again with you?
Bracy: No.
Bass: OK. Merry Christmas.
"The judge and the State Attorney’s Office will look very carefully to see if the defendant has a prior criminal history and make an assessment about her background and school activities," said attorney Rhonda Peoples Waters, who is not affiliated with the case. "They will likely sentence her to probation or a diversionary program to make her learn her lesson."
Waters say Bracy’s lawyers are also being given time to present mitigating evidence to state attorney to explain her side of the story, which may include Bracy being the victim of bullying. But with terrorism at the top of the nation's mind, Waters said the state should take a zero tolerance approach.
"The circumstances and the timing of what we just went thorough in California, those are all things that they will take into consideration," she said.
Police arrested Bracy earlier this month because they said she made threats against other students and claimed to be a member of ISIS on an instant messaging app. Bracy was taken into custody during class, and police searched her locker and later her home and found no weapons.
According to a police report, Bracy and another person, who was not identified, made statements on the app Kik to another student, saying they were with ISIS and that they had hacked the school board's computer servers to get personal information. Police said Bracy sent a message that she was "going to shoot up the school."
The second person warned the student not to call the police or "we gone murder u if u do."
The student reported the threats, and police were able to coax more information out of Bracy, using the instant messaging account.
Police said Bracy stated she had AK-47s and sniper rifles to carry out the attack in the senior parking lot and dance hall. Bracy also revealed her identity in one of the messages, police said.
Bracy’s grandfather said last week that Bracy understands that what she did was wrong, and that this was just a joke gone wrong.