MECHANICSVILLE, Va. -- A judge initially told a Mechanicsville teen charged with first-degree murder in a shooting Thursday that he was free to go.
But the Commonwealth stepped in and requested a stay, and the judge granted that request.
Now the teen will be behind bars until his case is heard in circuit court.
Crime Insider sources said at least three shots were fired Thursday night: around 10 p.m. in the 8000 block of Bellcreek Road when deputies arrived on scene they found a man dead and arrested the 15-year-old boy.
That boy was charged with first-degree murder and went before a judge Friday morning.
"The judge did not detain him,” Hanover Commonwealth’s Attorney Trip Chalkley said. “At that point he would've been free to go under their rules and conditions the court imposed, the commonwealth asked to stay that decision and the judge granted so everything from that point was a nullity."
The boy’s bond decision will now move to the higher circuit court.
He will remain locked up until he has that hearing.
Chalkley said even with the serious nature of the crime, the boy still has a pretty good shot of being bonded.
"I think the judge looked at his lack of prior involvement, and that He has a family to return to,” Chalkley said. “It appears to this judge from the hearing that this may have been a family dispute that got out of hand. I'm sure the judge considered he's 15 years of age and also please understand that police worked through the night, but we didn't have video to present at that time or witness statements. It was purely ‘this is the charge, this is the child, this is his past, this is where he can go’ and court decided he could be released under certain conditions."
The 23-year-old victim was identified as Jacob Dwayne Martin of Mechanicsville.
There has bee no word yet on when the 15-year-old will face a circuit court judge.
