By DUNCAN MANSFIELD
Associated Press Writer
JACKSBORO, Tenn. -- A grand jury will decide whether to charge a 14-year-old boy with murder for a school shooting last fall that killed an assistant principal and wounded of two other school administrators.
The case was moved out of juvenile court Thursday with the agreement of prosecutors and Kenneth Bartley’s defense attorney.
The teen’s attorney, Mike Hatmaker, told the judge he felt the state could meet the burden of proof to have the boy tried as an adult and he didn’t want to put the victims and their families through the strain of an extra hearing.
“There is no need to relive the events of Nov. 8 here today,” Hatmaker said.
District Attorney Paul Phillips said the case will be presented in June to a grand jury, which will have to decide what, if any, charges to file against Bartley.
“I don’t think victory should be declared prematurely,” the prosecutor said. “Sure, we think it should go to criminal court, but we will have to see what happens from here on out.”
Police say Principal Gary Seale and Assistant Principals Ken Bruce and Jim Pierce were shot after they called Bartley into an office to question him about a student tip that he had brought a pistol to school.
Bruce, 48, died within hours. Pierce, who said he was shot in the chest as he tackled Bartley, and Seale were both hospitalized for more than two weeks after the attack.