Utah Juvenile Murder Case Preliminary Hearing Set
In the horrific case of the murder of a 15-year-old girl, a preliminary hearing has been set for March 2, 2015, almost three years exactly since the day her body was found in the Jordan River.
Murder Most Foul
On Sunday morning, March 11, 2012, Draper Police responded to reports of suspicious activity at a footbridge over the Jordan River. When they arrived, they found a bloody shoe on the bridge. A Utah Highway Patrol helicopter was called in, and at approximately 2 p.m., they spotted the body about a mile downstream from the footbridge. Search and Rescue recovered the body two hours later, and police were able to identify the body as that of 15-year-old Anne Kasprzak.
In October of this year, police arrested a Colorado teen for the murder for Kasprzak. They believe the juvenile was living in Utah at the time of the murder and was Kasprzak’s boyfriend. While theories have been proposed as to the motive for the boy’s actions, at this point, nothing solid has been proven.
The boy, now 17 years old and who has remained nameless in the media so far, is being tried in the 3rd District Court for murder and obstruction of justice, both felonies. However, prosecutors may seek to try him as an adult.
Murder Charges are Consideration for Adult Trial
There are several reasons a juvenile case may be tried in adult court, and in this particular example, two of those potential requirements have been fulfilled. The charges of aggravated assault or murder can bring about a waiver to adult court. In addition, other crimes that would be considered a felony if committed by an adult could also land a juvenile in adult court. Other considerations include the age of the juvenile at the time of the incident or the time of trial (typically over 16 years old) and the criminal history of the juvenile.
It has been estimated that approximately 250,000 juvenile are tried as adults annually. This is a serious consideration when choosing how to protect your son or daughter. If you child has been charged with murder—or any other offense serious enough to have them considered for trial in adult court—don’t leave their fate up to a public defender. Make sure to contact an experienced juvenile defense attorney.
