Utah Murder Case Plays Out in Both Juvenile Court and Adult Court

In what is believed to be the first time in Utah state court history, a defendant on trial for murder has pleaded guilty in juvenile court and adult court. On Wednesday, June 18, Aza Vidinhar, 16, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder in the May 2013 deaths of his brothers in their West Point Home, the first plea in juvenile court and the second in adult court appoximately 90 minutes later.

A Case of Balance

Most cases that involve juveniles are considered civil proceedings and are typically handled by juvenile court. However, when the charges are as serious as the Vidinhar case, they will often be handled in adult court. Some incidents considered serious enough for a criminal conviction may include:

• Traffic violations
• Murder or aggravated murder committed by a juvenile 16 years old or older
• Repeat juvenile offenses
• Crimes which would be considered felonies if committed by an adult

In the case of Vidinhar, while prosecutors sought to have the teen tried in adult court, they stated they were satisfied with the plea agreement. Vidinhar’s attorney, Todd Utzinger, said they were trying to find balance not only in the court system but also in public perception and the case of Vidinhar himself.

“Frankly,” Utzinger stated, “the bottom line is it would be inhumane for any 16- or 17-year-old child to go straight to the prison without first having an opportunity for treatment and rehabilitation.”

According to the plea agreements, Vidinhar will spend the first part of his sentence in the Farmington Bay Youth Detention Center. He will remain there until he is 21 unless he causes problems or fails to follow his treatment program. At 21 years old, he will be transferred to the adult prison system where he will serve a sentence of 15 years to life.

Attorneys for Vidinhar have stated they are already planning asking for an early review hearing from the Board of Pardons and Parole, hoping that the juvenile court decision and his subsequent juvenile facility treatment will help him get released from adult prison sooner.

Public perception is also important in cases such as this, and members of the Davis County Attorney’s Office released a statement after the decisions saying that they believed the rulings in both juvenile court and adult court would allow Vidinhar the benefit of receiving treatment in the juvenile system while still taking into account issues of perceived public safety.

Know Your Rights in Juvenile Court

While this is a rare case for a juvenile to receive judgments in both juvenile court and adult court, it isn’t as rare for a juvenile’s case to be transferred solely to adult court.

If your child has been accused of a crime of a magnitude serious enough to warrant such an action, make sure you contact an experienced juvenile defense attorney.