Second youth in fatal shooting changes lawyers
URBANA — A 15-year-old Champaign boy accused of resisting arrest last month in an incident that resulted in his friend being fatally shot by a Champaign police officer will be back in court in January.
Jeshaun Manning-Carter told Judge Heidi Ladd Thursday that he wanted Urbana attorney Alfred Ivy to represent him instead of Champaign attorney Ed Piraino. She continued the case to Jan. 19.
But before getting out of the case, Piraino said he wanted to put on the record that he and State’s Attorney Julia Rietz had “an agreement in principle” that would have resulted in the dismissal of the charges against Manning-Carter if he enrolled in Lincoln’s Challenge in Rantoul.
Manning-Carter was arrested on Oct. 9 and later charged with aggravating resisting arrest in connection with an incident at 906 W. Vine St., C, that resulted in Kiwane Carrington’s death.
Champaign police officer Dan Norbits, whose gun discharged killing Mr. Carrington, is on administrative leave while the case is investigated. Police Chief R.T. Finney was the first officer to respond to the report of a burglary-in-progress that day.
The Illinois State Police investigation of the shooting was delivered to Rietz Thursday morning. She said she won’t release any information until she’s had time to review the report.
“The report consists of hundreds of pages and numerous computer discs. We will review all the information provided thoroughly, and if needed, will request follow-up investigation,” she said.
Piraino said he had an “agreement in principle” with Rietz that involved dismissal of the charges if Manning-Carter agreed to enroll in the Lincoln’s Challenge program in Rantoul, a military-like setting for students who have difficulty in traditional school settings.
Piraino said Rietz had shown him all the discovery generated in the case, including the statements of witnesses, the call to METCAD that brought police to the house, and video.
“I met with my client and informed him of the contents,” Piraino said, explaining he wanted to put on the record what he had done on behalf of Manning-Carter in the event there is some future hearing in which the allegation of incompetence of counsel might come up.
Piraino said he received notice from Ivy, who entered his appearance Thursday, that he was not to negotiate any further on behalf of Manning-Carter.
Rietz told the judge she wanted to be clear that there was no promise that the dismissal of the charges would have happened Thursday.
“There will be no change in how we handle this case with a change in attorneys,” she added.
Wearing a coat with the words “Love Kills Slowly,” on the back, Manning-Carter came to court with his mother, Laura Manning-Carter, a representative of the Unit 4 school district, and a woman from the University of Illinois Psychological Services Center who said she’s supplying services to the family.
Rietz said that Manning-Carter has been attending school and that there has been discussion of getting him enrolled in the READY program, the same school that Mr. Carrington attended.
After court, Rietz said criminal cases involving juveniles are often dismissed if they get help and doesn’t necessarily reflect the weight of the evidence in this case.
“My goal is to get this young man to a place where he can be a productive member of this community. That’s my goal with all young people (in the criminal justice system),” she said.
Also on this date
- Prosecutor receives report on 15-year-old's death
- Second Street to close Friday for a week
- Hearing canceled in favor of grand jury in Danville murder
- Bond at $150,000 for man accused of shooting in argument
- Nobody injured in crash at shoe store
- Investigators seek cause of fire in rural Muncie
- Digestive health center open house set for today
- Cities, county to discuss video gaming
- Crowd gathers to say thanks to veterans
- Obituaries