Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, May 27, 1994 TAG: 9406030074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Short
The teen-ager was charged with malicious wounding after the college's student president, Edward ``Bernie'' Bernatavicius of Cinnaminson, N.J., was shot once in the front of his neck.
The youth originally denied any involvement to the Lynchburg police but admitted later that he shot once ``toward the ground'' after taking LSD and marijuana and being coerced into firing a gun by his friends.
``I didn't mean to shoot him. I didn't mean to hurt anybody,'' Investigator R.D. Viar said the teen-ager told him a day after the April 22 shooting.
``I'm against that sort of thing. I mean I'm totally against things like that,'' he told the police. ``I'm against guns. I'm against violence.''
Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Mike Doucette upgraded the malicious wounding charge to aggravated malicious wounding after Bernatavicius' doctors determined he probably will be paralyzed from the neck down.
The prosecutor also asked to try the youth as an adult. Under that scenario, the youth could face up to life in prison. If convicted as a juvenile, he could be confined only until his 21st birthday.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations Judge Dale Harris will reconsider June 8 where to try the youth.
Defense attorney William Quillian said the teen-ager should be tried as a juvenile and asked that reporters be barred from court proceedings.
- Associated Press
by CNB