OLATHE, Kan. — The teenager accused of killing his father had a court date on Friday, his first since being arrested on Tuesday.
According to the Johnson County District Attorney’s office, the 14-year-old is accused of the most serious crime in the state of Kansas: premeditated first-degree murder.
RELATED COVERAGE: Prosecutor’s charge boy, 14, in father’s murder
The young defendant did not speak in court on Friday and was arraigned via video hookup with the courtroom. At one point the teen rolled his eyes at the judge.
At this time FOX 4 is not showing the 14-year-old’s face or using a name because he is still charged as a juvenile. However, that could change at some point as the DA’s office considers whether or not to charge the young man as an adult.
“It’s obviously a very sad and a very serious case. What I can tell you is that it is governed by statute. That statute sets forth eight different factors that the state has to consider whether to waive any juvenile-to-adult status.” Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Chris McMullen said.
Among the eight factors are:
- The seriousness of the offense
- Whether it was committed in an aggressive, violent, premeditated or willful manner
- Whether the offense was against a person or property
- The number of alleged offenses unadjudicated or pending against the juvenile
- The juvenile’s previous history
- Sophistication or maturity of the juvenile
- Whether there are facilities or program available to the court that are likely to rehab the juvenile prior to expiration of court’s jurisdiction under the juvenile code
- Whether the interest of the juvenile or the community would be better served by criminal prosecution or extended juvenile jurisdiction
On Friday, the teen’s mother and stepfather as well as nine other close friends and family members sat behind the prosecutors. Judge Michael Farley ruled the 14-year-old will remain in custody and his next court appearance is set for July 16th at 11 a.m.
Before making his ruling Judge Farley called the 14-year-old a risk to society but his mother offered an alternative ruling.
“He will be ok at home. I still love him,” Karen Lindsay said.
Police said the shooting took place in Shawnee when the boy’s mother and stepfather were making a custody exchange with his father. That’s when police say the 14-year-old walked up to his father’s car and fatally shot him.
The decision on whether to charge him as an adult could take months according to the DA’s office.
