15-Year-Old Suspect In San Jose Crime Spree Appears In Court
SAN JOSE (KCBS/AP) -- A San Jose teen charged as an adult for his alleged role in a crime spree that included the killing of one man and the wounding of a police officer was arraigned Wednesday.
15-year-old Adonis Muldrow did not enter a plea during a brief court appearance Wednesday, where he was arraigned on murder with special circumstances, attempted murder of a peace officer and other charges. He is being held without bail.
Muldrow's alleged accomplice, 26-year-old Jonathan Wilbanks, is facing similar charges. He is being held without bail after his arraignment last week. He has not entered a plea, but faces the possibility of the death penalty.
KCBS' Mike Colgan Reports:
Authorities said on the night of November 16th, Muldrow and Wilbanks conducted four armed robberies, fatally shot 22-year-old Rory Park-Pettiford and wounded a San Jose officer during a gunfight with police.
Deputy District Attorney Jim Leonard said they decided to prosecute the teen as an adult because of the serious nature of the crimes he is accused of.
"Under Welfare and Institution Code Section 707b, anybody 14 years or older who's charged with a crime that faces life in prison or who personally uses a firearm during the commission of the offense can be filed on as an adult," Leonard said.
Muldrow does not face the death penalty and Leonard explained why.
"Back in 2005, the United States Supreme Court came down with the decision that it's cruel and unusual to impose capital punishment on anybody who wasn't 18 at the time of the commission of their offense."
Both suspects are due back in court on December 5th.
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