Boy accused of killing Caleb Quick 'having a difficult time adjusting to custody'
The suspects are each 16 and are now preparing to deny murder charges. They could be in juvenile court as soon as Wednesday.
CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- For the first time, Action News has heard about the emotional state of two teens arrested Friday for allegedly killing Caleb Quick. The suspects spent the weekend in juvenile hall on murder charges.
"He's having a difficult time adjusting to custody," the boy's attorney said. "But (he) will do the best he can with the situation."
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The boy's girlfriend, who is the suspected getaway driver, is now "making the best of a difficult situation," according to her attorney.
The suspects are each 16 and are now preparing to deny murder charges. They could be in juvenile court as soon as Wednesday.
"There's a jurisdictional hearing, then a detention hearing to determine if they should remain in custody," Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi said.
The juvenile process focuses on rehabilitation. Detention can only last until the teens are 25. Any record of their past would then be sealed.
"The juvenile court is not the criminal justice system," Capozzi said. "It's not a criminal justice system. It's a system devised for juveniles and how they should be treated."
It is in stark contrast to adult criminal court, where Capozzi says prosecutors could pursue capital punishment after surveillance video showed the suspect tracking Caleb for 13 minutes.
That's considered lying in wait, which is a special circumstance for the death penalty.Action News Legal Analyst Tony Capozzi
"That's considered lying in wait, which is a special circumstance for the death penalty," Capozzi said.
Prosecutors could ask to move the teens to adult court. Attorneys for both suspects say they would oppose such a move.
A judge would have to decide.
"If they were being tried as minors and let out early, I believe they would do this again," Caleb's father, Stephen Quick, said. "Due to the nature of how my son was executed, I would definitely like to see them charged as adults."
Due to the nature of how my son was executed, I would definitely like to see them charged as adults.Stephen Quick, father of Caleb
The entire process could soon play out in public view.
If prosecutors move forward with murder charges, the juvenile court will publish a list showing the suspects' names and case numbers. The hearings -- usually closed -- would then become open.
"When you get into juvenile court, it's confidential," Capozzi said. "But when you get into a crime such as this, murder, kidnapping, rape, those types of crime are different, and those should be open to the public."
It will be the first time the public sees the suspects after they evaded police for weeks.
In the meantime, Action News has learned the two -- boyfriend and girlfriend -- have not had any contact in juvenile hall.
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