A Frederick County Circuit Court judge ruled Tuesday that a 16-year-old boy, one of two teenage brothers accused of beating a man to death last Sept. 20 at the Great Frederick Fair, will be tried as a juvenile.
The 16-year-old boy is charged with two counts of second-degree assault for allegedly punching and spitting on John Marvin Weed, 59, of Mount Airy, Maryland.
Weed was beaten near the midway of the fair, allegedly after he refused to give one of the teens a dollar. He died a day later from his injuries.
The boy’s 15-year-old brother is charged with manslaughter, first-degree assault and two counts of second-degree assault; he’s accused of throwing the fatal punch.
All further proceedings in the 16-year-old boy’s juvenile court case will be kept confidential by law, and the boy has been freed from detention.
“He is out currently, is not detained any further,” said Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith III.
Smith added, “We argued a number of factors as to why we believe that the 16-year-old should be tried as an adult, obviously the seriousness and nature of the offense being first and foremost, as well as public safety.”
Judge Julie Stevenson Solt must still decide whether the 15-year-old will also be tried as a juvenile.
“We’re going to seek justice for the (Weed) family in both [cases],” Smith said.
