Crime

Prisoner mistakenly released early charged with killing teen

/ AP

SEATTLE -- Washington state officials say a prisoner who was mistakenly released early because of a computer error has been charged with fatally shooting a teenager during a robbery that took place when he should still have been detained.

Department of Corrections Secretary Dan Pacholke said Thursday that Jeremiah Smith, who was released on May 14, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and robbery for a May 26 incident that left 17-old Ceasar Medina dead.

Authorities say Smith shouldn't have been released until Aug. 10. Pacholke says he and Gov. Jay Inslee have apologized to Medina's family. It's the second death tied to a computer glitch that allowed thousands of prisoners to be released early.

Officials announced last week that as many as 3,200 offenders have been wrongly released early since 2002 because of problems calculating sentences.

First published on December 31, 2015 / 4:05 PM EST

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