Jeremiah King’s trial in the murder of Steven Gerecke is still scheduled to begin Oct. 3, despite pleas from his attorney Tom Clark, who will be in a capital murder trial in another judicial district until Sept. 23, to postpone it because of the time crunch involved.
According to a local rule fashioned by the state Supreme Court and imposed on the 2nd Judicial District in February 2015 to move trials more quickly, King’s trial should begin on that date on 47 counts, ranging from first-degree murder to credit card fraud.
Clark and Assistant District Attorney Larissa Callaway agree that some of the charges should be split off from the murder charges, and that would also mean new scheduling dates. But until they work out the charges to be severed or reach a plea deal, the scheduled date is still on, Judge Brett Loveless ruled Friday.
King is one of six youths charged as adults in the death of Gerecke, a bartender who heard something on his driveway and went outside to see what was happening, only to be shot dead. Those charged with the murder had been “mobbing” – breaking into cars and homes, and taking credit cards, wallets and car keys – over a period of weeks, according to police.
One defendant, Ryan Archibeque, 18, has entered a guilty plea to four felonies – aggravated burglary, theft of a credit card, unauthorized use of a credit card and conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon – and faces a potential 15-year sentence. Christopher Rodriguez, 16 at the time of Gerecke’s shooting in June 2015, and Andrew Hubler, then 15, are scheduled for trial later in the fall and next year.
King, Rodriguez, Hubler and Archibeque were charged as “serious youthful offenders” in District Court under the Children’s Code. The other two defendants are in Children’s Court.
