October 13, 2008
Students in city bus assault seek dismissal of charges
Defense attorneys for five middle school students accused of beating a woman aboard a city bus in December asked a judge yesterday to dismiss the petitions, or charges, against their clients.
Baltimore Circuit Judge David W. Young is expected to rule on the request when the trial resumes tomorrow.
All five defense attorneys challenged witnesses' inability to identify who assaulted victims Sarah Kreager, her boyfriend, Troy Ennis, and the driver of the No. 27 bus in Hampden, Danny Williams.
"The state's case is a lot of nothing" in respect to her client, attorney Barbara Greene said. "There's no in-court ID, no statement, no positive ID from Kreager or Ennis and no photo array shown to Mr. Williams."
Assistant State's Attorney Janet Hankin argued that the students all participated in a "riot" and a "conspiracy" to attack Kreager and Ennis, making them equally responsible for the injuries, whether or not each student individually caused them.
"Each and every student acted in each and every offense," Hankin said. "They acted together, jointly and in concert."
Also yesterday, Officer Tameka Gooden, who processes juveniles accused of crimes in Baltimore, testified that the girl accused of starting the fight told her that she was "almost" spit on aboard the bus and that a racial slur was used by one of the victims before the melee.
Kreager and Ennis have denied spitting on anyone or using a racial slur.
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