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Jury seated in trial for teen charged in the murder of Officer Amy Caprio

Posted at 6:22 AM, Apr 22, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-23 09:30:18-04

PERRY HALL, Md. — A jury had been seated Monday in the trial of Dawnta Harris. He is one of four teens charged with first-degree murder in the death of Baltimore County Police Officer Amy Caprio.

Harris, who was 16 at the time of the incident, has been charged as an adult. Police say he was the driver of the stolen Jeep that hit and killed officer Caprio last May in Perry Hall. He is the first of the accused to go on trial. He is now 17.

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If convicted, a maximum penalty could be life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Back in May, Harris' mother, Tanika Wilson, said the courts failed her and that her son should never have been on the street in the first place.

RELATED: Harris' mother: my son should have been detained

The other teens facing charges in Caprio’s death are 16-year-old Derrick Matthews, 16-year-old Darrell Ward and 18-year-old Eugene Genius. They’re all charged with first-degree murder and first-degree burglary.

Police say the three were burglarizing a home while Officer Caprio was run over.

READ MORE: Juvenile justice system works on reforming the lives of incarcerated teens

They're all expected to stand trial in September.