Defense expert says teen accused in Caleb Quick killing should be tried as a minor
A defense attorney for one of the two 16-year-olds accused of murder in Clovis says an expert psychologist has recommended his client remain in the Fresno County juvenile court system and be tried as a minor.
A transfer hearing has been tentatively set for March 9 for Cassie Michael, who was 16 when she was allegedly the getaway driver in the April 23 killing of 18-year-old Caleb Quick outside a McDonald’s in Clovis.
If the hearing goes forward, a Fresno County District Attorney’s Office prosecutor and Michael’s defense attorney, Jeff Hammerschmidt, will present evidence on whether she should be transferred to an adult proceeding at Fresno County Superior Court.
Hammerschmidt said his expert psychologist has found the teen should remain in the juvenile system for trial. He said he’ll present those findings at the transfer hearing, noting the expert has testified before on behalf of prosecutors in Fresno.
“One of the biggest factors is, is the juvenile rehabilitatable and all indicators are, yes. She has no prior criminal history, she doesn’t have a behavior problem at home, she didn’t have behavioral issues at school,” he said. “It’s a bit unusual, because usually someone in this position does have a prior record.”
The DA’s Office does not comment on ongoing trials as a policy. Senior District Attorney Kendall Reynolds has previously described the slaying as a “public execution,” and the DA’s Office has announced it will seek an adult conviction for Michael and for the teen who allegedly pulled the trigger, Byron Rangel.
The Bee is naming the juvenile defendants after Judge Amythest Freeman last spring denied requests from their attorneys to withhold their names, entering them into the public record.
As with any trial, the burden of proof is on prosecutors to make their case for a transfer. Hammerschmidt said the transfer hearing could include more evidence and facts from the case, including testimony from Clovis police detectives.
A judge weighs the five key factors in such a transfer hearing, which includes whether the minor could likely be rehabilitated, has previous delinquency and the seriousness of the crime in question.
Whether a teen is charged as an adult or juvenile would significantly change the sentence the defendants are facing. The courts in juvenile cases lean heavily on diversion, in which the court prescribes treatment or programs to correct a person’s actions in lieu of a jail sentence.
As adults, Michael would face 26 years to life for participating in the slaying while Rangel would potentially be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said. As juveniles, they each face up to seven years of confinement or up until they turn 25.
Michael is due back in court on Feb. 9 for a status hearing with March 9 set as a tentative transfer hearing. Rangel is due back on Feb. 26.
The killing of Caleb Quick in Clovis
Rangel was accused of lying in wait about 9 p.m. April 23 before fatally shooting Quick outside the McDonald’s near Willow and Nees avenues. Police have said he was shot at least once in the head, and he died at an area hospital.
Quick was once a Buchanan High student and had more recently attended Clovis Online School, which is not connected to any specific Clovis school campus.
The McDonald’s was known as a popular hangout for young people, according to police. Investigators previously confirmed the teens in the case all knew each other.
A Clovis police report on the slaying says Rangel was motivated to shoot Quick because the teen had recorded himself sexually assaulting an unconscious teenage girl, according to Mark Coleman, one of Rangel’s attorneys.
Rangel and Michael were dating. The two 16-year-olds turned themselves into Clovis police on May 10, more than two weeks after Quick was killed. They’ve been in custody since.
This story was originally published January 27, 2026 at 1:18 PM.
