LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The legal professional representing a young person accused in a lethal crime spree argued for the costs towards the teenager to be dropped on Tuesday.
Clark County District Courtroom Choose Jacqueline Bluth declined to drop the costs after listening to impassioned arguments from each the protection legal professional and a prosecutor.
Clark County Public Defender David Westbrook raised considerations about media protection because the case has gained worldwide consideration. Video from the alleged crime spree on Aug. 14 confirmed two bicyclists showing to be deliberately hit in separate places.
The second bicycle owner, Andreas Probst, 64, didn’t survive. He was a retired police chief from California.
Las Vegas Metro police recognized Jesus Ayala, who was 17 on the time, as the driving force who swerved into Probst. Jzamir Keys, who was 16 on the time, was the passenger who recorded the mobile phone video, in line with police.
The primary bicycle owner, a 72-year-old man, survived. Keys was the driving force and Ayala was the passenger recording video, in line with police.
The grand jury beforehand indicted Ayala and Keys on the next costs, which carry enhancements as a result of the victims had been over the age of 60: homicide with use of a lethal weapon, tried homicide with use of a lethal weapon, battery with use of a lethal weapon leading to substantial bodily hurt, and two counts of responsibility to cease on the scene of a crash involving demise or private harm.
Extra costs with out the enhancement embody battery with use of a lethal weapon, residential housebreaking, three counts of grand larceny auto and three counts of possession of a stolen car. The entire costs are felonies.
Ayala was additionally charged with gross misdemeanor possession of housebreaking instruments. The teenagers are accused of stealing three automobiles which had been all Hyundai fashions.
The teenagers had been indicted after the case had already obtained media protection.
Westbrook represents Ayala.
“The media protection on this case has been quick and livid. It has been not simply native however nationwide and worldwide,” Westbrook stated in court docket.
Westbrook stated he was involved a few bias among the many jurors and argued that it was a problem Clark County Chief Deputy District Legal professional John Giordani ought to have addressed throughout grand jury proceedings.
“The concept that I must go in entrance of the grand jury and ask them, ‘Hey, have you ever seen this within the information? Anybody have a problem with this case?’ is ridiculous. There isn’t any process to try this. I’m not going to convey each case that the [Review-Journal] decides or Channel 8 decides to do a narrative on to this chief choose,” Giordani responded. “That’s implausible.”
Westbrook additionally stated that he obtained demise threats after a photograph taken from a earlier court docket look confirmed him and Ayala smiling whereas they had been in court docket. He insisted the picture was taken two hours earlier than Ayala was truly earlier than the choose and that they weren’t laughing concerning the felony case.
Additionally at a earlier court docket look, the widow and daughter of Probst stated that the teenagers flipped them off. The teenagers had been additionally seen laughing and them as they left the courtroom.
“Shifting ahead that would be the expectation that we are going to all deal with one another with dignity and respect throughout this course of,” Bluth stated. The teenagers acknowledged they understood.
Health worker Stephanie Yagi testified that she had decided that Probst died from blunt pressure trauma and dominated his demise as an accident. Nonetheless, after a forensic investigator supervisor confirmed her video footage which confirmed the circumstances surrounding Probst’s demise, she modified the way to murder.
Keys was represented by felony protection legal professional Dan Hill who stated the household of Keys employed him.
If convicted, the utmost penalty the teenagers may obtain could be life in jail with the potential for parole. By legislation, the demise penalty can’t be pursued towards a defendant except they’re 18 or older on the time of the crime. Life with out parole can also be taken off the desk for defendants underneath the age of 18.
A trial is scheduled for late subsequent 12 months. Crystal Probst, the widow of Andreas, informed the 8 Information Now Investigators it was disappointing {that a} trial isn’t scheduled sooner.
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