Teen Accused In Deadly Attack Asks To Be Released

CROFTON, Md. (WJZ) -- It was a shocking and deadly attack on a Crofton teenager and another teenager was found responsible.  Tuesday, he asked a judge to let him out of a juvenile detention center in favor of home detention.

Suzanne Collins explains the 16-year-old has been in custody for a year and a half.

The victim, Christopher Jones, was beaten.  He fell off his bike and died.  His mother said it's too early to let the boy who struck the first blow out on home detention.

Jennifer Adkins and her sister made their way hesitantly into the Anne Arundel County Courthouse.  Her son, Christopher Jones, was killed in the summer of 2009 by a group of juveniles who beat him when they encountered him on his bike.  Now, the teen who threw the first punch wants to get out of a locked detention facility and come home on supervised probation.

"It's been really hard, especially with it being Christmas time and not having Chris here with us and then to have to deal with the possibility of this kid getting out of jail so prematurely," Adkins said.

The juvenile, who's now 16, told the judge by phone from the detention facility in Michigan, that he has matured and even leads younger youth there in doing the right thing.  But the report also shows that he's been in trouble for cursing, arguing and having a negative attitude.

The victim's father says it's too early for release.

"People in Anne Arundel County would be outraged.  How would you like him coming home and playing with your kids?" he said.

Based on the testimony, the judge decided he should remain locked up in Michigan, but he wants updates and may consider release in the future.

The public defender says the boy's parents would like to have him closer.

"His family is very supportive.  They would very much love for him to be able to come home.  They have been visiting him as regularly as they can," she said.

Christopher Jones' mother is glad release has been delayed.

"Chris isn't coming back.  He did kill him but he is a child and inevitably he will be released and it's best that he be rehabilitated," she said.

An alternate plan to transfer him to a locked facility here in Maryland was nixed because the facility doesn't offer enough therapy and the Maryland facilities have a poor reputation.

A judge could decide to keep the teenager in custody until he is 21.