Judge: Sterling teen 'clearly is a danger to the community wherever he may be', will remain detained
Mar. 27—MORRISON — A Sterling 17-year-old charged with two counts of attempted murder will remain detained as his case proceeds toward trial.
Michael W.T. Bennett Jr., who will turn 18 in May, was charged in September in adult court with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, and one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm in a July shooting that injured two teens, according to Whiteside County court documents.
One count of use of a stolen firearm in the commission of an offense was added to the list of charges in December.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
[ https://www.shawlocal.com/sauk-valley/2024/10/29/police-eyewitnesses-video-selfie-messages-with-gun-led-to-arrest-of-sterling-teen-in-july-shooting/ ]
During a pretrial conference Wednesday, March 26, Whiteside County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Rangel-Kelly scheduled Bennett's next pretrial conference for April 3. A hearing also will be held at that time about when he should be transferred from the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center in St. Charles to the Whiteside County Jail in Morrison as his 18th birthday approaches. He will turn 18 on May 17.
Whiteside County Public Defender Dana McCormick, who represents Bennett, also argued Wednesday for Bennett to be released from jail under pretrial release conditions that would allow him to stay at his grandmother's home. She said Bennett had had one infraction while staying in the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center, but that had happened early in his stay there. She said that should be taken into consideration when weighing Bennett's request for pretrial release.
Whiteside County Assistant State's Attorney Ryan Simon objected to her request, referring to a report indicating Bennett had continued to commit infractions that included refusing to go to his room after he had been directed there and for verbal altercations.
Rangel-Kelly agreed with Simon, deciding that Bennett should be remain detained.
"He clearly is a danger to the community wherever he may be," Rangel-Kelly said.
Case details
The shooting happened shortly before 6 p.m. July 23 in the area of 13th Avenue and East Fifth Street in Sterling. A 17-year-old boy was shot in the head, and a 14-year-old boy was struck in the leg, according to court documents. Officers said the two injured teens were passengers in a vehicle that was fired upon, resulting in the vehicle colliding with a utility pole.
The occupants of the two vehicles — the one from where police said the gun was fired and the other carrying the injured boys — are acquaintances, according to a Sterling Police Department news release issued shortly after the shooting.
Sterling police announced Sept. 11 that a juvenile taken into custody Sept. 9, had been charged with one count each of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.
The additional charges, naming Bennett, were filed Thursday, Sept. 26. Charging documents indicate that all of the charges could be tried in adult court because of the two charges that allege Bennett committed a battery with a firearm by shooting one victim in the head and the other in the leg. He is accused of gaining possession of the firearm — a Ruger 5.7 — the previous day, and knew that it was a stolen gun, according to court documents.
The one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm accuses him of shooting the Ruger within 1,000 feet of Lincoln Elementary School at 1501 E. Sixth St.
A charge of using a stolen firearm in the commission of an offense was added Dec. 10 to the list of charges.
The attempted murder and aggravated battery charges are Class X felonies that upon conviction carry possible enhanced prison sentences of 25 years to life in prison; 85% of the sentence would have to be served.
A trial date has tentatively been set for May 20, according to court records.
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