BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The investigation into the July 7th murders of Western High School student Gigi Myrie, 15, and her brother Steve Allen, 9, is deepening.
The suspect charged with their murders, Keith James Junior, a 16-year-old student enrolled in City College High School in Baltimore City appeared in Baltimore County District court by video Thursday.
James’ attorney Brian Thompson waived James’ bail review, but told the Judge he may refile when more is learned about the case.
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Legal expert Jeremy Eldridge weighed in on this decision, as well as the Judge’s denial of Thompson’s request for James to be transferred to a juvenile facility.
“It’s certainly a possibility and potentially part of a trial strategy for a defense attorney to not want some of the pre-trial information regarding your client’s history to be made public, especially in a high-profile case,” said Eldridge. “I don’t think it’s surprising at all that the court declined to place the juvenile at a secure juvenile detention facility. When you look at the statute in question, which is criminal procedure article 4202, it requires the court to go through an analysis about whether that juvenile could pose a risk of harm to other individuals at that facility.”
During the scheduled bond hearing, the Judge voiced that very concern of the safety of other juveniles who would be in the facility.
He also pointed to the allegations outlined in newly obtained court documents.
In them, investigators detailed how witness statements, cell phone data, surveillance footage, ballistic evidence recovered, and James’ statement to police led them to name James as their suspect.
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The statement of charges within the charging documents did not mention any possible DNA evidence or the recovery of a believed murder weapon.
Prior to the announcement of an arrest, and when asked whether the weapon had been recovered Baltimore County Police said that remained part of the on-going investigation.
“Obviously, prosecuting a murder case or a non-fatal shooting without the firearm that’s believed to have been used in the commission of that crime is more challenging,” said Eldridge. “But there are a lot of cases. In fact, I would say the lion’s share of these cases are prosecuted.”
Charges James is facing include two counts of first degree murder.
Eldridge reiterated that even though this crime comes with a possible life sentence, by law James cannot be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole because he’s a juvenile.
“In the State of Maryland we have the juvenile restoration act. And what that provided is that juveniles were no longer eligible to receive sentences of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” said Eldridge.
James will receive a scheduled preliminary hearing.
However, that will likely not happen if he’s first indicted by a grand jury, sending the case to Circuit Court.
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