A ruling in Washington, D.C., juvenile court has sparked strong reactions from political figures after two teenagers avoided jail time in a case involving the assault of a former government staffer. According to authorities, the incident occurred in August when Edward Coristine, a former staff member of the Department of Government Efficiency known publicly as “Big Balls,” was attacked during an attempted carjacking in the Logan Circle neighborhood. Coristine was reportedly accompanied by a woman at the time. Police later arrested two 15-year-olds who fled the scene following the assault.
On Tuesday, Kendra Briggs of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia sentenced the juveniles to probation after they pleaded guilty to simple assault. The male defendant received 12 months of probation with home confinement, while the female defendant was given nine months of probation and placed in a youth shelter. Both were also barred from contacting each other and from entering Washington, D.C., except for school, work, or family obligations.
Judge Briggs said the decision reflected the juvenile justice system’s emphasis on rehabilitation rather than punishment. The ruling drew criticism from Donald Trump, who called the outcome “terrible” and argued the judge should be “ashamed.” Elon Musk also criticized the verdict on his social media platform. Coristine responded online, stating that several individuals involved in the attack remain unidentified and urging authorities to address violent crime more aggressively.
