Will teen in high-profile Colorado murder case be tried as adult?

We recently published a post about the Colorado teen who has been arrested and charged with the murder of a young girl. The defendant is 17 years old, which adds an element of complication to the way the court will handle this violent crime case.

Whether a defendant is tried as an adult or juvenile can make a significant difference in his future. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the teen’s criminal defense team to try to get the court to try him as a juvenile. That’s the best attempt at mitigating how serious sentencing could be if the teen is ultimately convicted of murder.

It isn’t too surprising, therefore, that the teen’s defense has requested to go through what is called a reverse transfer hearing. As is, the district attorney has filed for the young defendant to be tried as an adult. If that is what the court decides is fair, then a guilty verdict could put the teenager in prison for life.

The threat of a life sentence makes the battle to get the case into juvenile court important. Both sides will have the opportunity to present evidence that they believe supports their differing positions regarding how the teen should be tried.

One resource, a former defense attorney and law school professor, believes that the court will try the teen as an adult. When making such a decision, the court tends to look at the exact age of a defendant and the severity of the crime. A first-degree murder charge is as severe as it gets.

We will follow the case and post an update as developments are reported.

Source: Our Colorado News, “Defense team wants Sigg tried as a juvenile,” Ashley Reimers, Nov. 6, 2012