Latest news with #ColtGray
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
When is trial date for father of accused shooter at Apalachee High School?
Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm this week signed an order setting Sept. 8 as the trial date for Colin Gray, the father of the 14-year-old youth charged with killing two students, two teachers and wounding nine others at Apalachee High School. The mass shooting occurred Sept. 4 at the high school in Winder, where the suspect Colt Gray was a ninth-grade student. Colin Gray, 54, gave his young son the AR-15 style rifle as a Christmas gift, according to court records. He faces a 29-count indictment that include charges of second-degree murder and reckless conduct. A trial date for Colt Gray on numerous murder and aggravated assault charges has not been set, as pretrial motions are still underway. The elder Gray remains in jail, although Primm gave him a $500,000 bond in February, but the judge stipulated that 10% of the amount must be a cash bond. Colin Gray has been granted a change of venue for the trial, a motion that was supported by the defense team led by attorney Brian Hobbs and and the prosecutors Piedmont Circuit District Attorney Brad Smith and chief assistant Patricia Brooks. In Tuesday's order, the judge told the lawyers he wanted their pre-trial motions filed by July 15. The judge also said he wanted to see a complete witness list and the jury selection questions that each side proposes for potential jurors by Aug. 15. If he has a problem with any question, he would discuss those with the lawyers. The judge has not set a date for deciding on locations for the change of venue, but has told lawyers he will make a decision, which includes moving the trial to another county or bringing jurors from another county to Barrow County. The jury would be sequestered during the trial. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith testified earlier that there are 75 deputies on the witness list from his office and that will have an impact on his office if they must leave the county for the trial. Primm has noted that the trial for Colin Gray is expected to take about three weeks, so he has to find a courthouse that will accommodate that timeframe as well as finding a courthouse with the needed technology to present evidence. This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Trial date set for father of teen accused in Apalachee High shootings
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Yahoo
Apalachee families weigh trial possibilities after accused shooter's latest court hearing
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Apalachee families weigh trial possibilities after accused shooter's latest court hearing The accused Apalachee High School shooter may never face a jury, and families are responding to the idea. 'I definitely think that it's difficult to decipher what we, as a community, would want,' said Layla Renee Contreras. Contreras' mother and sister were inside the school in September 2024 when gunfire erupted, killing two students and two teachers. Nine people were hospitalized. At a hearing Tuesday, attorneys discussed the idea of a non-negotiated plea deal. In that case, Colt Gray would plead guilty, and a judge would determine his sentence. 'I understand people do want to hear the trial. Also, it has been a lot,' said Contreras. She said a trial would mean reliving the trauma. Tuesday afternoon, the family of one of the Math teachers killed, Coach Ricky Aspinwall, pointed that out after the hearing. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'If he wants to plead guilty, it would just be a better route for everybody, get it behind us,' said Kevin Zinke. 'Whatever they feel is what I support,' said Contreras. Contreras has been at every school board meeting since the shooting. She's leading the push for faster security upgrades. She spoke in January when deputies said a student got a gun on campus. In February, she spoke after a student trespassing incident. This week, she signed up to speak about communication connected to fake threats that led to the lockdown last Friday. 'Friday, that event did bring up a lot of panic, more distrust in the system, as well,' said Contreras. RELATED STORIES: The Board of Education did not allow her to speak, citing a regulation that allows them to deny public participation when someone plans to speak on the same topic. They ended the meeting without discussing the latest lockdown. 'I wouldn't want to speak about it if there were improvements,' said Contreras. Before the meeting, board members said they would not make themselves available for comment. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
CNN
06-05-2025
- CNN
Accused Georgia school shooter moving toward possible plea deal, attorney says
Winder, Georgia CNN — A defense attorney for Colt Gray, the teen accused of killing four people at a Georgia high school last fall, said Tuesday he may change his not-guilty plea. 'We are here for the possible scheduling to the plea. I would likely ask the court for some time, maybe in October,' defense attorney Alfonso Kraft Jr. told the judge. Tuesday's status hearing was called to discuss whether attorneys were planning to go to trial or considering a plea deal. 'We are still doing some investigatory work on our behalf and then we have a psychologist who is going to be visiting with Colt in the middle of this month,' Kraft said. Authorities say Colt has admitted to the September 4 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, that left two teachers and two students dead. Nine others were injured. Colt has been indicted on 55 felony counts, including four counts of malice murder, according to court documents, and has pleaded not guilty. He would be tried as an adult. Colt joined Tuesday's hearing virtually, wearing a black T-shirt and glasses. His dark hair was cut short. At his first appearance, Colt had long blond hair. Several family members of victims attended the hearing, including the family of 14-year-old Christian Angulo, who was in his first year of high school. Some in court wore black hoodies with Christian's picture printed on them. Because Colt was 14 at the time of the shooting, he is not eligible for the death penalty and could face up to life in prison if convicted. His father, Colin Gray, 54, has been indicted on 29 felonies including two counts of second-degree murder, four counts of involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of cruelty to children. He has also pleaded not guilty. Investigators previously testified in court that Colin Gray bought the AR-15-style rifle allegedly used in the shooting for his son as a Christmas present, only seven months after law enforcement questioned the family about online threats 'to commit a school shooting.' Chief Judge Nicholas Primm signaled the suggested timing for a possible plea deal involving Colt 'works well because Colin Gray's trial is scheduled in September and (it could) avoid any publicity tainting that trial.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Possible plea hearing date planned in Apalachee HS shooter Colt Gray's case
The Brief Attorneys for the teen charged in the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School appeared in court on Tuesday for a status hearing. Colt Gray's attorneys say that they are still gathering evidence and are planning to have a psychologist interview the teen. The attorneys have argued that the widespread publicity of the case, and the passionate response it invokes, should be the reason for the trial being moved. BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - Attorneys for a 14-year-old boy charged in the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School have asked a judge for more time ahead of a possible plea hearing later this year. At a hearing on Tuesday, Colt Gray's attorneys told the judge overseeing they needed the time to gather evidence and have the teen speak with a psychologist. The backstory Colt Gray is accused of opening fire using a "black semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle" inside the high school's J hall during the second period of class on Sept. 4. Two teachers, 39-year-old Richard Aspinwall and 53-year-old Cristina Irimie, and two students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, were killed. Nine others were injured. Investigators later found a notebook they say belonged to Gray that contained drawings eerily matching the events of the school shooting, as well as a checklist outlining steps the teen planned to take. They also reportedly found a "shrine of sorts" behind Gray's computer desk in his home, consisting of approximately 15 photographs and newspaper articles about past school shootings and school shooters. Gray faces 55 charges, including four counts of murder, four counts of felony murder, four counts of aggravated battery, 25 counts of aggravated assault, and 18 counts of cruelty to children in the first degree. His legal team is expected to appear in court Tuesday to request a change of venue. What they're saying Gray's defense attorney asked the court for "some time in October" to discuss a potential plea. He said that he and other attorneys are still doing investigatory work and that a psychologist will be visiting the teen in mid-May. "We should be good to go," the attorney said. The judge agreed that the October timing would work well, adding that it would prevent possible interference with the trial of Colin Gray, the teen's father, which will begin in September. Dig deeper Gray's attorneys have asked for any possible trial to be moved out of Bartow County, saying the pretrial publicity has saturated the community and will bias potential jurors. "The extensive publicity has biased the Barrow County jury pool against Gray. Removal of the case to another county would save Barrow County the money and time it would have spent trying to impanel an impartial jury from a biased jury pool," the motion read in part. "Removal of the case to another county would enhance Gray's chance at securing a fair trial." Colt Gray (Barrow County Sheriff's Office) While his attorneys told the court that both sides are "largely in agreement with the venue issue," they have not yet said what the agreement would be. Dig deeper Meanwhile, a separate trial has been set for Colt's father, Colin Gray. A judge scheduled his court date for Sept. 8. Prosecutors allege that the elder Gray allowed his son access to firearms despite being aware of the teen's potential for violence. In April, a judge ruled on a motion by Colin Gray's attorneys asking him to move his case out of the county. While Chief Judge Nicholas Primm ruled that local jurors will not be moved, it has not been determined if jurors from another Georgia county will be used or if the case will be tried hundreds of miles away. SEE ALSO: The Source This article is based on details from Barrow County Superior Court records and previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports.
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Associated Press
Lawyer signals teen accused in Georgia school shooting that killed 4 is likely to plead guilty
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A lawyer on Tuesday said the teen accused of killing four people in a shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School is moving toward pleading guilty. Defense attorney Alfonso D. Kraft told Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nick Primm in a brief hearing that Colt Gray could be ready for a plea hearing in October. A psychologist is scheduled to meet with Gray soon, Kraft said, adding that his client would likely be ready for a plea hearing after the psychologist's report is ready. 'We should be good to go,' Kraft said. The Sept. 4 shooting killed teachers Richard 'Ricky' Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, seven of them hit by gunfire. Colt Gray, then 14, was indicted on a total of 55 counts, including murder in the deaths of four people and 25 counts of aggravated assault. Grand jurors formally charged his father, Colin Gray, with 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of involuntary manslaughter. Both also face multiple counts of cruelty to children. Colt Gray was charged as an adult. Both initially pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors said in court Tuesday they were looking to accept a non-negotiated plea, which would mean they would not recommend a lower sentence. The key issue in any plea is likely to be whether Gray is sentenced to life without parole or will get a chance at later parole. As a juvenile, he cannot be sentenced to death. Primm told Kraft and prosecutors to work out a date after the scheduled September trial of Colin Gray. 'I think the October timing works well because Colin Gray's trial is scheduled in September,' Primm said, saying a later plea would avoid pretrial publicity that could be taint the ability to find unbiased jurors in Colin Gray's case. Primm in April ordered that jurors in Colin Gray's trial would not be drawn from Barrow County , granting a rare change of venue. Colt Gray appeared by video Tuesday from a juvenile detention center where he is being held. Relatives of Aspinwall said after the hearing they want a sentence of life without parole for Gray. 'If he wants to plead guilty it would be a better route for everybody, get it behind us,' said Kevin Zink, Aspinwall's father-in law. 'I'd like to see it end. The sooner it ends, the better for all of us.' Zink said District Attorney Brad Smith had told relatives he would not accept a lighter sentence in exchange for a guilty plea. Richard Aspinwall Sr., Ricky's father, said he might favor a trial to make an example of Gray. 'Maybe it'll make other people think twice about trying to pull something.' Aspinwall said. Investigators have testified that Colt Gray carried a semiautomatic assault-style rifle given to him by his father onto the school bus with the barrel wrapped in a poster board. They say the boy left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the rifle, shooting people in a classroom and hallway. Investigators have said the teenager carefully plotted the shooting at the 1,900-student high school northeast of Atlanta. A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified that the boy left a notebook in his classroom with step-by-step instructions and a diagram to prepare for the assault, including an estimate that he could kill as many as 26 people and wound as many as 13 others. Colt and Colin Gray were interviewed about an online threat linked to Colt Gray in May 2023. Colt Gray denied making the threat at the time. He skipped eighth grade, enrolled as a freshman at Apalachee after the academic year began, and then skipped multiple days of school. Family members had been seeking psychological help for Colt Gray before the shooting, but it appears he never saw a counselor. Colt's mother, Marcee Gray, who lives separately, told investigators that she had argued with Colin Gray in August, asking him to secure his guns and restrict Colt's access. Instead, over time, he bought the boy ammunition, a gun sight and other shooting accessories, records show. Colt Gray even created a 'shrine' to school shooters over his home computer, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agent Kelsey Ward said in court.
