ROBERT Bright, the 15 year old Meath boy charged with the murder of a store cashier in New York, has been put on a suicide watch, according to his lawyer, Mr Anthony Colleluori.
Mr Colleluori, who says the youth has made two suicide attempts in the past, said he was fighting to have Bright tried as a juvenile and not as an adult.
He was charged as an adult because of the severity of the crime, according to sources.
He was arrested on December 7th after police recognised him from a videotape which showed the youth taking about $400 from a cash register as he held the cashier at gunpoint.
The cashier, Mr Mosood Sadiq, along with two other men, was later taken into a storage room by Robert Bright's accomplice, Richard Robinson (18), who was carrying a shotgun.
Then, for no apparent reason, Robinson allegedly shot and killed Mr Sadiq.
The pair escaped in a taxi in which three other teenagers were waiting. Robert Bright and Robinson were arrested along with Jesus Berrios (18), David McHale (18), and David Santiago (19).
Mr Colleluori, who says Robert Bright's handgun was not loaded, says the youth desperately wanted to belong and so got involved with a group of boys who used him.
"He was expected to go out and do this, and if he didn't that was it," Mr Colleluori said. "This is a case of culture shock. These were young men, but Robert is a young boy. To be tried as an adult is absolutely inappropriate. He's not the shooter. His case would be better handled by the juvenile court. He needs psychological help."
Mr Colleluori said the youth, who has a diagnosed learning disability, moved to New York when he was 11 along with his mother, Mary, and older brother, David but was not happy with the move.
"He desperately misses his home in Ireland and is very upset by his mother's decision to move", he said.
Mr Colleluori called on the Irish community in New York to make their objections known to Nassau County District Attorney, Mr Denis Dillon, who decided that Robert Bright is to be tried as an adult. He says that decision is not final.
Robert Bright is expected to be formally charged next month.