A Long Island mother, who took matters into her own hands to confront her son's bullies and ran over a 15-year-old twice, has been found not guilty of attempted murder by a jury of her peers earlier this week.
Jennifer Nelson, now 36, faced charges of second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault. However, the only offense she was convicted of was leaving the scene without reporting an accident resulting in serious physical injuries, including multiple broken ribs and pelvis fractures.
Suffolk District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney criticized Nelson for trying to take matters into her own hands by bringing a bat and a knife to confront the bullies who had allegedly harmed her son near William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach on October 7, 2022.
Tierney emphasized that citizens should work with law enforcement and his office to seek justice rather than resorting to vigilante actions.
Nelson believed that the 15-year-old victim was part of the group that had bullied her son and stolen his belongings. However, charges related to the robbery were only brought against two other teens.
Nelson threatened the students with a knife and a small bat in a parking lot, and when the victim walked away, she followed him at a high speed, running over him twice.
Despite the verdict, Nelson testified that she didn't know she had hit someone and would have called the police if she had been aware. She expressed relief and happiness with the outcome, acknowledging the emotional toll the case had taken on her and her family.
The conviction could lead to a sentence of 1 to 4 years in prison and a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000, in addition to other penalties.
Given Nelson's lack of a prior criminal record, her lawyer, Katherine Fernandez, suggested the possibility of probation for the non-violent felony.
Sentencing has been scheduled for December 4, according to court records.
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