A judge next week will decide whether to transfer a 17-year-old murder defendant from a youth detention facility to the adult jail on his 18th birthday next month.
He is one of three defendants accused of murder in the stabbing of a robbery victim two months ago in a southeast Modesto park near Johansen High School.
Martin Baker, Taylor Koplen's defense attorney, is seeking to have his client remain at the Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall. The Probation Department wants to send Koplen to the county jail when he turns 18.
Koplen, Jacob Segura and Juan Garcia are accused of murder in the attack on 18-year-old Tylor Crippen, who was trying to escape through Creekwood Park on Jan. 29 when he was stabbed.
Koplen and Garcia, 16, are minors but are being prosecuted as adults. They're being held at the juvenile hall. Segura, 18, is in custody at the county jail.
Superior Court Judge Dawna Reeves scheduled Koplen to return to court Thursday, so she can hear arguments on whether to transfer him. The judge also scheduled the three defendants to return to court April 25 for another pretrial hearing.
Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or (209) 578-2394.
RSS
E-Mail
Print
Order reprints
