Bullet on the brain.

Joshua Bush, a 17-year-old, has admitted to taking part in an attempted robbery at a Port Arthur, Texas, used-car lot. He is now in police custody for "deadly conduct, burglary of a habitation, criminal mischief and two counts of engaging in organized criminal activity," reported the Beaumont Enterprise, yet he is becoming renowned throughout the world--because he has a bullet lodged in his head that may prove that he also attempted a murder, and a nearby hospital has refused a judge's order to operate on him and retrieve the bullet.

The story began in July when a gang broke into a used-car lot to steal cars. After police left the scene, the car-lot owner, Alan Olive, was cleaning up and a man in a nearby dark alley warned Olive against cooperating with the police in their investigation. The man then shot at Olive. Olive, a competitive pistol shooter, pulled his own pistol and returned fire and shockingly, seemingly missed.

Police caught some of the gang members who participated in the car-lot robbery, and they fingered Bush as being involved as well.

Bush admitted to police that he had been involved in the robbery, but he denied being the shooter. During questioning, prosecutor Ramon Rodriguez related to CNN.com, "The officers noticed the guy looks like h***. One of his eyes is black and he has a big old knot on his forehead." Rodriguez continued, "He tells police he got hurt playing basketball." But police learned that he told doctors that he had been hit in the head "by a stray bullet as he sat on a couch in an apartment." The bullet was lodged just under the skin.

Police got a warrant to retrieve the slug without problem, but the doctor initially tasked with taking it out noticed that some bone was beginning to grow around the bullet, and he didn't have the proper instruments to remove it. Police then got another warrant to remove the slug, but the hospital refused to operate. No elaboration was given as to why the hospital refused, but the speculation is that the hospital was worried about violating Bush's "civil rights." Both sides agree the operation would not be life-threatening. The second warrant expired before a doctor could be found who would remove the bullet.

In a legal gambit, KHOU.com reported, Rife Kimler, Bush's lawyer, has stated: "I'm willing to say that we'll consent to getting the bullet removed at a facility of their choice with the condition that if that bullet does not match the gun that the owner fired, that they won't prosecute him for that attempted capital murder."

On the surface, the deal sounds like a no-brainer that the police would accept, but it's possible the police may already have gathered other evidence demonstrating that Bush is the shooter, and the bullet very well could have been damaged so badly that it can't be matched to the car-lot owner's gun.

Meanwhile, CNN.com reported, "Tammie Bush, the teen's mother, disputed allegations her son is a gang member. 'We know he's not a criminal,' she said. 'He's a good kid.'"