Accused killer, 8, gets time with mom

Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Karen Francis
Diné Bureau

ST. JOHNS — The Apache County Superior Court granted the 8-year-old boy accused of killing his father and a friend who was renting an apartment from the boy’s father a furlough to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with his mother, according to court documents posted on the Superior Court’s Web site.

Christian Ryan Romero was allowed 48 hours with his mother beginning at noon Wednesday and ending the same time Friday. The two were not to leave St. Johns and there would be no firearms, large knives, video games or cable television, according to court orders.

County attorney Brad Carlyon said that the victim’s families opposed the furlough, however, Albert Lassen, when asked his opinion by the court, said that he thought a furlough was needed.

The court also stated that the boy and his mother were “off limits” and “not to be contacted or harassed by anyone.”
In the minutes to the preadjudication hearing held on Nov. 19, the court rejected the defendant’s motion for a jury trial.

The request for a jury trial was submitted by the boy’s attorney. In the request, Benjamin M. Brewer stated, “Counsel is aware that jury trials are not a matter of right for juveniles charged with delinquent acts; however that does not preclude this Court from authorizing a jury trial, given the highly unusual circumstances of this case, to determine whether the government has proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Court documents also reveal that Romero was offered a plea deal. Apache County Attorney Criss Candelaria wrote, “... the state has tendered a plea offer to the juvenile’s attorneys that would resolve all charges in the juvenile court contingent upon the results of the mental health evaluations.”

No other details about the plea deal were included in the documents posted on the Web site Sunday night.
The statement was included in a response signed by Candelaria and dated Nov. 26 to the defendant’s objection to the prosecutor’s motion to dismiss without prejudice.

Court documents show that Dr. Daniel Juliano, Ph.D., was appointed to conduct the competency examination on Romero. The psychologist was nominated by the defendant. According to Juliano’s vita, his specializations include consultation for children, adolescents and adults with mental disorders and disabilities, court ordered evaluations within incarcerated settings and court testifying.