Judge asked to close hearing for 14-year-old charged with killing parents in Miramonte
The defense attorney for a 14-year-old boy charged with killing his parents in the Fresno County foothills community of Miramonte is asking the judge in the case to close the hearing to the public.
The boy, whose name will not be released because he is a minor, is accused of murder in the shocking deaths of his father, Lue Yang, and his mother, Se Vang, both 37, while inside their home Dec. 27.
He is also accused of causing major injuries to his 11-year-old sister.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s office has filed a juvenile petition, the equivalent of a criminal complaint, charging him with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Appearing Wednesday before juvenile court Judge Virna L. Santos, the boy, who remains in custody, was dressed in an orange sweatshirt and dark pants. He looked down as he was seated, seemingly avoiding the looks of about a dozen relatives seated in the audience.
The defendant was expected to answer to the charges at his detention hearing Wednesday, but the case was continued until Friday. Public defender Shawn M. Benjamin requested the hearing be closed to the public, including the media.
Santos gave Benjamin until 4 p.m. Thursday to file a motion requesting a closed hearing. Prosecutor Kendall Reynolds will file a response and the matter will be heard at 1:30 p.m. Friday.
Benjamin was unavailable to answer questions after Wednesday’s hearing. Santos made it clear that he has the burden of proving why a detention hearing that otherwise is open to the public should be closed.
Teen accused of murder will not be prosecuted as adult
One issue that remains certain is that the boy will not be prosecuted as an adult. A change in state law prevents anyone under the age of 16 from being prosecuted as an adult.
And if the accused killer is found guilty on all charges, he will serve time in a juvenile facility until the age of 25.
Several of the boy’s family members wept as he was escorted back to jail.
A week ago, deputies were called to the Miramonte home after the boy is alleged to have called 911 to report that his family members were attacked in a home invasion by a person who fled the scene in a pickup.
But detectives at the crime scene in the 14000 block of Dunlap Road began to notice inconsistencies in his story and later determined that he used multiple weapons owned by the family to attack family members.
Uninjured in the attacks was the boy’s 7-year-old brother, who is now being care for by relatives.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family’s funeral expenses.
