Teen accused of attacking teacher has competency hearing delayed
A competency hearing has been pushed back three weeks for a student accused of beating and sexually assaulting his teacher.
On May 6, District Judge Christy Craig said Jonathan Eluterio Martinez Garcia had been found competent to face the 15 counts he has been charged with in connection with the April 7 attack at Eldorado High School. His defense attorney, Paul Adras, has said he may order an “independent evaluation” for the 16-year-old.
On Friday, Adras said the evaluation was still being scheduled.
“I’m still working on coordinating getting the evaluation done,” he said. “I’m going to need a few more weeks to do that.”
District Judge Bita Yeager ordered Martinez Garcia to appear in court again on July 17.
The teen faces four counts of attempted murder, seven counts of sex-crime-related battery, and counts of sexual assault, kidnapping, robbery and burglary, court records show. Las Vegas police have said the teenager beat and sexually assaulted the teacher after he went to a classroom to discuss his grades.
According to his arrest report, Martinez Garcia came to the classroom and choked the teacher with a “rope or string,” then slammed her head against the table, knocking her unconscious. He also is accused of moving a shelf on top of the woman and sitting on it, and then attempting to cut her wrist.
Martinez Garcia initially told police that he “blacked out” and did not remember the attack, but he later said he remembered trying to choke the teacher. He also told police that he had raped her.
He remained in custody on Friday with a bail of $500,000, court records show.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.
