CLEARFIELD – A judge is sending the homicide case against a 14-year-old boy charged with killing a 12-year-old girl to juvenile court.
Aaron John Klingensmith of Luthersburg allegedly shot and killed the girl at his home on April 28.
In a press statement released shortly after the charges were filed, District Attorney Ryan Sayers explained, “This is a heartbreaking and tragic shooting that occurred on Sunday evening in Brady Township. In the interest of justice, the difficult decision was made to charge this juvenile as an adult, instead of remaining in the juvenile system.”
At the preliminary hearing in May, testimony from the investigator, Trooper Lauren Strishock of the state police, detailed the events. Klingensmith explained to her that he and the girl were at his home when he asked her if she wanted to see his dad’s gun. He then got it from the top of a gun cabinet in the living room and sat beside her on the couch. Klingensmith pointed it at her, asked “loaded or unloaded” and pulled the trigger, he told police.
The trooper also testified that the autopsy report listed the cause of death as a gun shot wound to the head and the manner of death as homicide. The victim died on May 1 at UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.
Following the hearing, District Judge Jerry Nevling ruled all charges, criminal homicide, along with two counts of aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person, be sent on to the county court.
Klingensmith’s attorney, Chris Pentz, filed a motion to move the case to juvenile court in September, following a psychiatric evaluation of Klingensmith in August.
On Thursday, President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman granted the petition saying it is the public’s interest to decertify the case and transfer it to juvenile court, according to court documents.
In the opinion, Ammerman states that the “juvenile does not present as a threat to public safety.” Klingensmith has no prior criminal history, previous delinquent acts, behavioral issues, mental disorders or anti-social personalities other than attention deficit disorder.
In this case, the psychologist, Dr. Veronique Valliere described the incident as “a really stupid thing an impulsive teenager did to show off.”
She stated that he was honest with her about what happened and “broke down crying when discussing what he had done”. She determined he has no risk factors “suggesting future violent behavior.”
She noted that he did not have any hostility toward the victim and “no reason to target or harm her.”
The documents state that “the juvenile seemed regretful and as though he did not ‘fully grasp’ that the victim – a friend of the juvenile – was deceased and he would never be able to talk to her again.”
Because of his age, Klingensmith would have seven years for therapy, discipline and rehabilitation in a juvenile facility, it explains.
“For these reasons, the court finds that the juvenile is amenable to treatment.
“The juvenile is young and still a bit immature and does not seem to grasp the gravity of what has happened. Therefore, he does not show the mental capacity a dangerous or repeating offender may have. Additionally, the juvenile did not commit a crime that involved any real level of criminal sophistication. He believed the weapon was unloaded, pulled the trigger spur of the moment, and the actions he took were described by Dr. Valliere as a tragic accident,” the court documents state.
On Monday, Sayers commented on the opinion.
“The Commonwealth disagrees with the decision of the Judge to transfer this case to juvenile court. This decision is not in the public interest and does not promote justice in this tragic case, which is why an appeal has already been filed with the Superior Court.”
For more information on the preliminary hearing, click here.