Majors, an 18-year-old freshman at Barnard, was stabbed a number of instances whereas strolling via Manhattan’s Morningside Park on December 11. Authorities say she staggered her method up a flight of stairs and was later discovered by a faculty safety officer. She was pronounced lifeless at a close-by hospital.
Rashaun Weaver, who was 14 years previous on the time of the homicide, is charged with two counts of homicide within the second diploma. Luchiano Lewis, who was additionally 14 on the time of the homicide, was charged with one depend of homicide within the second diploma in reference to the case. Each are being tried as adults and have pleaded not responsible.
Prosecutors stated in February that Weaver was heard on an “audio recording” describing his function within the alleged crimes, together with hitting the sufferer with a knife. CNN has not independently confirmed the contents of the recording.
“The hassle to demonize a 14-year-old boy already going through life in jail by the leaking of alleged proof of an alleged confession is repulsive,” Jeffrey Lichtman stated in a press release to CNN. “However then once more attempting a 5’6″ 120 pound 14-year-old boy as an grownup is equally repulsive in a civilized society so immediately’s information isn’t surprising.”
One other boy who’s now 14, who CNN will not be naming as a result of he was not charged as an grownup, was sentenced to 18 months within the custody of the Administration for Kids’s Providers in June.
At his plea listening to, the teenager informed the courtroom he went to Morningside Park with Weaver and Lewis aspiring to rob somebody.
“After that, we noticed Tessa Majors strolling on the steps contained in the park. Rashaun went as much as her and stated one thing to her and Tessa yelled for assist. Rashaun used the knife that I had handed to him to stab Tessa and I noticed feathers popping out of her coat,” he stated.
The teenager stated in courtroom that the three ran out of the park collectively.
Prosecutors stated between Weaver and Lewis, one is accountable for stabbing Majors whereas the opposite put her in a “bear hug or headlock.” There was DNA matching that of 1 defendant below one in all Majors’ fingernails, prosecutors stated.
The complete interplay from the second Majors walked handed them, together with the theft and stabbing, took roughly a minute, Assistant District Legal professional Matthew Bogdanos stated in February.
Majors gave the impression to be their third goal the day she was killed, he stated.
The three zeroed in and briefly adopted two different individuals earlier than passing Majors on a staircase and deciding on her, Bogdanos stated in February.
CNN’s Jay Croft and Mark Morales contributed to this report.
