In a ruling on Wednesday, July 13, a judge determined that a 19-year-old, who fatally murdered his mother over six years ago and has since escaped from custody multiple times, should remain in detention while awaiting trial for manufacturing a weapon behind bars. The judge decided against allowing the teenager, Ike Souzer, to live in a transition home in preparation for his eventual release.
Souzer has been incarcerated since the age of 13, being convicted not only of killing his mother but also of assaulting correctional officers a couple of years ago. However, social workers argue that he has shown significant improvement in the past year. Souzer expressed his readiness to turn his life around and face the consequences if found guilty of the pending charges of possessing and manufacturing a deadly weapon while in jail.
During the hearing, Souzer’s attorney, David Hammond, requested his client’s release to a transition home overseen by 24-hour staff. Nevertheless, Judge Bromberg, considering Souzer’s history, deemed the risk of escape too great. While acknowledging the difficulty of the decision, the judge also recognized Souzer’s abusive childhood.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer has described Souzer as an “extremely dangerous and extremely violent individual.” Deputy District Attorney Ann Fawaz argued in court that Souzer remains a flight risk.
In 2017, Souzer’s mother identified him as her killer before succumbing to her multiple stab wounds in front of their Garden Grove home. Two years later, Souzer escaped from a juvenile hall by climbing over a barbed-wire fence. He spent a day on the run before being apprehended at a McDonald’s restaurant in Anaheim.
In 2019, a juvenile court found Souzer guilty of voluntary manslaughter, with evidence suggesting that he acted in self-defense after enduring years of abuse. As a minor, Souzer served his sentence in a juvenile facility. In 2021, he pleaded guilty to battery with injury for attacking correctional officers. A year later, Souzer cut off his electronic monitoring device and fled a halfway house. He was found two days later at a homeless encampment in Anaheim.
Souzer was subsequently transferred to an adult jail, where he was accused of manufacturing a shank. His attorney explained during the hearing that Souzer felt overwhelmed in the new facility, surrounded by more dangerous and experienced inmates.
Souzer’s attorney, along with several social workers, attested to his growth and maturity over the past year, with Souzer himself taking responsibility for his actions. Souzer admitted that running away was his coping mechanism in response to an abusive family environment, but he immediately regretted his decision to cut off the monitoring device.
Even if convicted, Souzer is likely to receive a relatively short prison sentence, according to the judge. However, because Souzer has at least one case in juvenile court, his complete records are not public, making it uncertain what additional time in custody he could face if found not guilty of the adult charges.
The defense argued that releasing Souzer from custody now with appropriate support services would be more beneficial than waiting until after a prison sentence with no assistance.
Souzer will have to wait longer for the support, but Judge Bromberg assured him that help would be available upon his eventual release, emphasizing that he will not be imprisoned forever.
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