Barrington teen to be tried as adult

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A so-called "gap kid" is heading to an adult court. A judge ruled Thursday that Ryan Greenberg will be tried as an adult instead of as a juvenile for the boating death of his friend, Patrick Murphy, on the Barrington River last year.

Greenberg was 17 when he was accused of fatally striking Murphy with his boat. He was charged during a brief time in state law when 17-year-old offenders were treated as adults.

The state Supreme Court recently ruled that those teens, known as "gap kids", should have their cases sent back to Family Court for further review. But Attorney General Patrick Lynch had sought to try Greenberg, who is now 18, as an adult.

And Chief Family Court Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah decided yesterday to send Greenberg to an adult court after several days of testimony.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)