Judge ends probation for teen convicted in 13-year-old’s killing as mother steps back from fight

Judge ends probation for teen convicted in 13-year-old?s killing

A judge has terminated the probation of a teen convicted of killing 13-year-old King Douglas, as the victim?s mother says she no longer opposed the teen?s release.

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md. - A judge has terminated the probation of a teen convicted of killing 13-year-old King Douglas, as the victim’s mother says she no longer opposed the teen’s release.

Kay McKnight, of Prince George’s County, told FOX 5’s Stephanie Ramirez she was done fighting it. "I guess some people look at it as forgiveness," McKnight told Ramirez by phone Monday. "I just know that I want peace."

READ MORE: 12-year-old who murdered 13-year-old sentenced to supervised probation

The suspect was 12 at the time of the 2021 shooting, claiming a friend handed him a gun during a fight. He turned himself in with his mother and was later sentenced to indefinite supervised probation.

McKnight says she’s returned to court countless times since, opposing repeated motions from the teen’s attorney to end probation due to good behavior.

Last year, FOX 5 was in the courtroom when a judge denied one request after learning the teen had made rap videos referencing drugs, gun violence and other crimes.

READ MORE: Prince George's County community grieving 13-year-old shot to death by 12-year-old

Now 17, the teen’s attorney continues to argue he’s doing well in school and staying out of trouble.

What they're saying:

"It’s a trigger - every time I go back and forth to the courthouse and I’m seeing this little boy grow up, I’m seeing him with his mom, and hearing about how well he’s doing in school. And these are all things my son can’t do," she said.

"I’ve expressed it to him before - that the world is a circle. And everything you do, everything you put out, it comes right back. And that’s what I want to let him know,"

McKnight still believes the sentence was too lenient and says juveniles convicted of murder should be held accountable.

The judge added they hope to never see the teen in their courtroom again.