A Topeka teenager will be tried as a juvenile on charges of attempting to hire two people to kill four adults at his high school.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that a Shawnee County judge on Friday denied a prosecution motion to try the former Topeka West High School student in adult court. The teen was 17 when he was arrested in January. He is charged with four counts of soliciting first-degree murder.
The judge did agree to allow the teen, if he’s convicted, to receive a controlling sentence as a juvenile as well as an adult sentence. That means if the teen fouls up on the juvenile sentence, he would face the longer adult prison sentence.
A psychologist testified before the ruling that the teen is mentally ill.
