Durban — The State has asked for more time to prepare its arguments on the merits of the case in the murder trial against a teen alleged to have stabbed and killed another.
This emerged on Wednesday in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court where the matter was adjourned to next week for arguments.
Prosecutor Andre Denyschen had requested the adjournment, indicating he intended to argue certain technical points that he was currently researching.
Jayden Glazer, 15, was allegedly stabbed after school by a 16-year-old Grade 10 fellow pupil in Ashley, Pinetown, in 2022.
The two teens both attended Chosen Independent Studies where Glazer was in Grade 9.
It is alleged that on the day of the stabbing, there had been a fistfight between Glazer and the accused, who can’t be named as he is still a minor.
The teen accused, who was 16 at the time of the alleged commission of the offence, faces a charge of murder.
The trial was heard in-camera due to him – and witnesses – being underage.
However, the accused turned 18 on Monday.
Arguments from the State and defence had initially been set down to be heard on Monday by Magistrate J Goorie. However, the matter was rolled over to Wednesday due to a power outage in the Pinetown area which saw some cases at the court being postponed.
The accused’s lawyer, Clinton Short, said he was ready to proceed with arguments but magistrate Goorie gave the State the indulgence of more time to prepare.
The matter was adjourned for arguments next week and February 26 was reserved as a tentative date for judgment to be delivered.
During the trial, the court heard evidence from a teen who had recorded the moments leading up to Glazer’s stabbing on his cellphone.
He told the court that a fistfight had allegedly been set on that fateful day; it was then that the accused allegedly stabbed Glazer.
The video clip was played in court and in it Jayden is seen walking to the boys with his hands behind his back. He had no weapon, but the accused just stabs him, and then Jayden lies on the grass bleeding.
Voices in the video could be heard saying, “No weapons, we said no weapons”.
The accused is currently out on warning and released into the care of his grandmother.
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Daily News