Murder suspect may be tried as juvenile

Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Temin granted a petition of decertification yesterday to Gregory Pennington, 17, one of the five men accused of murdering fifth-year graduate student Al-Moez Alimohamed, according to Director of Victim Support and Special Services Maureen Rush. Pennington will be tried as a juvenile in the case, and could serve a maximum sentence of three years in prison, Rush added. Earlier this month, Judge Temin found Khaalis Edmonson, 17, guilty of Alimohamed's murder. Edmonson was also tried as a juvenile. Assistant District Attorney Roger King said he is awaiting Judge Temin's written decision on why she chose to decertify Pennington, according to Rush. The decision will be delivered this afternoon. King might appeal the decertification decision immediately once he hears Judge Temin's reasoning, Rush added. Many people at the trial were shocked that a second defendant in the murder will be tried as a juvenile, Rush said. "In my opinion, Judge Temin is sending out a very negative message to young criminals who commit violent crimes," she added. "All criminals have to do is bring up a story about a rough childhood and how hard things are and they're basically off the hook. After three years they go on with their lives, and justice has not been served for the victim." If the prosecution decides not to appeal Judge Temin's decertification decision, Pennington's hearing will take place one month from now. Because he will be tried as a juvenile, the trial will mostly likely last just one day, Rush said. She added that jury selection could begin as early as tomorrow. Recent delays in jury selection have caused the actual jury trial to be considerably postponed. The delays are due to the decertification hearing and a separate plea bargain hearing for two of the defendants -- Antoine Saunders, 19, and Ollie Taylor, 17. Rush said the trial of Anthony Archer, the fifth defendant, will most likely be moved to tomorrow morning with Judge James Fitzgerald presiding over the case. Archer will be tried for life in prison without parole.