SNOHOMISH COUNTY—After hearing oral arguments from defense attorney Bryan Hershman for defendant Samuel Gizaw—charged for the murder of 13-year-old Jayda Woods-Johnson—and county prosecutor Elise Deschenes on Wednesday, September 4, Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Anna Alexander said she will make her ruling in the coming days on the defense’s request for the court to lower his client’s bail from $2 million to $790,000.
Jayda Woods-Johnson, was tragically killed while hanging out at Lynnwood’s Alderwood Mall on July 3, 2024, after being struck by a stray bullet allegedly fired by Gizaw, 16. He is being tried as an adult.
Mall video shows Gizaw pulling out a loaded firearm near a busy food court and firing it in Jayda’s direction after a single punch to the face by another teenaged male.
Jayda’s mother, Tabatha Johnson, pleaded with Judge Alexander in court on Wednesday to not reduce bail.
“It is with the heavy heart that we ask that you do not reduce the veil for Samuel Gizaw,” said Johnson. “This is not just a legal matter, it’s deeply personal for my family as we are still grappling with the devastating impact his actions have had on our lives,”.
Johnson reminded the court that Wednesday was the first day of school and how Gizaw’s fatal action robbed Jayda from being an eighth grader.
“Today is not just our court hearing, it is also the first day of school. Jayda would have started 8th grade today, but instead, she will always be a seventh grader,” Johnson said.
She added that the parents of her daughter’s killer “couldn’t control” their son and they can’t be “trusted to do so now.”
“This lack of supervision only enabled him further, leading to the tragic events that have forever changed my family’s life,” said Johnson.
Prosecuting attorney Deschenes shared with the court, reports from a former friend of Gizaw of him brandishing firearms on social media and a “history of fighting.” At the time of Jayda’s murder, Gizaw was suspended from school due to his behavior. There are allegedly videos of multiple incidents of Gizaw engaged in fights and possessing firearms that were retrieved from his phone.
Defense attorney Hershman presented the court with a supervised plan for Gizaw if he is released. He also argued that the gun in 16-year-old Gizaw’s possession may have saved his life.
“He was going to get the snot kicked out of him and that was their intent and but for the fact that he had a gun on him, that’s what would have happened,” Hershman said.
Hershman argued that the family will use their $1.1 million home to post a property bond and requested the $2 million bail be reduced to $790,000, adding that Gizaw is not a flight risk and does not have a criminal record on file.
Judge Alexander is expected to make her ruling regarding the request to reduce bail in the coming days.
On July 9, 2024, the Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office filed adult charges for Murder 1st Degree, Murder 2nd Degree, Assault 1st Degree, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm on Gizaw in Superior Court. The Superior Court Judge in that case approved an arrest warrant with a $2 million bail. Gizaw, who was on a $500,000 bail, appeared in Court, pleaded “Not Guilty,” and is currently being held in a detention Center awaiting trial.
Jayda’s mother is calling upon the Washington State legislature to enact, “Jayda’s Law” which would have harsher consequences for juveniles who commit serious crimes.
Jayda’s Law stipulates a no bail, no release, policy for juveniles who commit serious crime, such as murder, and calls for a 24 to 72 hour minimum hold time in police custody while the details of the crime are being investigated. Gizaw was released without the firearm involved in the crime being found.
The law also proposes that those who do not possess a prior criminal history but is found to be in illegal possession of a firearm, serve a mandatory six-months of community service interacting victims of gun violence, and twelve months of counseling.
Lastly, the law proposes parents of juveniles who commit serious crimes be held accountable financially, for medical bills and memorial arrangements and so the parents of a deceased victim may have the opportunity to take time off work to grieve.
As of September 4, 5,106 have signed that petition to bring Jayda’s Law to lawmakers’ desks.
