Here are the 3 criteria Fresno judge said she used in Caleb Quick killer decision
Before handing down her decision last week, the Fresno judge who decided a teen girl charged in the killing of Caleb Quick in Clovis would not be transferred to an adult proceeding laid out in detail the criteria she was required to weigh.
The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office failed to show Cassandra Michael was beyond rehabilitation and its request to move the youthful offender to an adult criminal court was denied, according to Fresno Superior Court Judge Kimberly A. Gaab.
Michael was 16 when she served as the driver on April 23, 2025, for her boyfriend, Byron Rangel. He was the gunman who pulled the trigger at arm’s length from the back of the head of Caleb Quick, 18, according to prosecutors.
Along with hearing from 15 witnesses, Gaab said she had read through reports from probation and others, multiple petitions and the briefs of final arguments from the defense and prosecuting attorneys. Both sides also gave final remarks in the courtroom on Friday.
In recent years, there has been an evolving perspective in California of how the courts treat young people who commit crimes, and the burden of proof to transfer a young offender to an adult court falls on prosecutors.
“The evidence must be so clear as to leave no doubt,” Gaab said, quoting from case law.
There are several points weighed in such cases.
- Was the minor 16 or older?
- How does the minor hold up to the five factors in a transfer hearing?
- Is the minor amenable to rehabilitation?
The first criterion was not disputed by either side. Michael was 17 years and 9 months old on Friday, and was 16 years and 8 months old on the day she’s accused of being the getaway driver in the execution-style killing of Quick, Gaab noted.
The second criterion itself has five factors.
- The degree of sophistication of the crime.
- Totality of the circumstances and seriousness of the crime.
- The likeliness of rehabilitation of the teen.
- Previous history of delinquency.
- Success of previous attempts at rehabilitation.
Gaab said she believed Michael showed a high level of sophistication in the crime, noting the teen had made an effort to find Quick on the night of the killing. The girl also provided an alibi for her boyfriend and made plans, like making sure to park the getaway car where it could leave the area faster.
“They showed a degree of sophistication planning to kill the victim at a place the victim was known to be,” Gaab said.
Cellphone data appeared to show the teen couple’s movements together through the time running up to the killing, she said. Rangel changed clothes before the shooting, and Gaab said the evidence showed Michael was with him when he did it.
Michael spoke to others at the McDonald’s about an alleged sexual assault by Caleb Quick on a friend of Michael’s, the judge noted.
“This was not rash behavior,” Gaab said. “The minor appeared to be avenging her friend.”
After the shooting at McDonald’s, Michael fled into the parking lot to get to the getaway car while others inside tried to stop her after hearing the gunfire, Gaab noted. Michael was seen on a home surveillance camera a short distance from the McDonald’s picking up Rangel and honking to get his attention as he ran.
The teen also attempted to give her car away days after the killing, Gaab said, an attempt to conceal her guilt.
As for the gravity of the crime and totality of the circumstances, they clearly leaned toward a transfer to an adult hearing, Gaab said. She noted Quick was a teenager when he was killed execution style while the shooter was lying in wait.
“There is no question the facts of this offense are serious and the consequences are extreme,” she said.
The other three factors in a transfer — likeliness of rehabilitation, previous delinquency and previous attempts at rehab — all weighed in Michael’s favor.
The girl had no previous trouble with the law and had not been through previous attempts at rehabilitation. She has been in a juvenile facility for about a year, and had performed well, according to testimony. Gaab said those weighed in favor of denying transfer.
As for the third criterion — amenability to rehabilitation — Michael had performed well, Gaab said. Testimony showed the girl had cooperated in custody, finishing high school and becoming a tutor to aid others. She sought therapy and showed improved maturity.
Gaab said although the gravity and sophistication of the crime were factors in the case, she was required to deny the transfer. State laws requires prosecutors to prove Michael could not be rehabilitated.
“All of the evidence presented, including by the peoples’ expert, has been to the contrary,” Gaab said.
Michael was scheduled to return to juvenile court on June 5. The other teen accused in the killing, Rangel, could see his own transfer hearing next month.
