A 15-year-old boy charged in a deadly North Las Vegas shooting that stemmed from a fight involving Legacy High School students appeared briefly in North Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday. Dezmond Teate-Edwards was scheduled for arraignment on a murder charge, but the proceeding was delayed for two weeks. Justice of the Peace Belinda Harris confirmed the appointment of Las Vegas attorney Robert Draskovich to represent Teate-Edwards.
Draskovich said he accepted the appointment "because of his age" and was just starting to explore whether a negotiation could be reached in the case. Teate-Edwards is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 17 and is currently being held without bail, according to court records.
According to a North Las Vegas police arrest report, Teate-Edwards and a 10th grader at Legacy High School were involved in a fight on Feb. 18 after Teate-Edwards became upset over a negative Instagram post. The 10th grader told police he got the better of Teate-Edwards during the altercation. A short time later, the 10th grader was a passenger in a Volkswagen Jetta driven by Tazzion Benard, Jr., 21, when a BMW with distinctive red rims cut them off in the 100 block of East Rome Boulevard.
Authorities said a gunman emerged from the BMW and fired 21 shots, killing Benard. Police later arrested the BMW's driver, Deshawn Pitts, 32, and the alleged gunman, Kali Hines, 21. Authorities said in prior court proceedings that after the fight, Teate-Edwards went to Pitts' house and complained the fight was unfair. The three then got into the BMW and tracked down Benard's vehicle. Hines later confessed to being the gunman, police said, and detectives found a handgun and matching ammunition in the glove box of Pitts' BMW.
Pitts, Hines and Teate-Edwards are each charged with murder and attempted murder. Hines is being held at the Clark County Detention Center with a jury trial scheduled for March. Pitts is out of custody with a next court appearance scheduled for Nov. 12, according to District Court records.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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