A Howard Circuit judge threw out the attempted-murder charge Tuesday against a Forestville teenager accused in a stabbing in January at The Mall in Columbia.
Judge Richard Bernhardt said the state?s evidence failed to show that Cordero Taylor, 16, aided and abetted Bernardo Leconte, 18, of Columbia, in the stabbing of Julian Lichtenstein, 17, outside J.C. Penney.
Defense attorney Gabriel Terrasa argued that Taylor should be acquitted on all six charges including the attempted-murder charge, because he didn?t stab Lichtenstein.
Bernhardt agreed with Terrasa but found Taylor guilty of first-degree assault.
“The defendant continued to accompany Leconte … placing himself in that position even as the stabbing continued,” Bernhardt said.
Taylor could face up to 25 years at his Aug. 1 sentencing.
Lichtenstein testified Monday that Taylor punched him, which caused Lichtenstein to fall onto the knife that Leconte was swinging.
The two teens chased down Lichtenstein as Leconte continued to stab him, Lichtenstein testified.
But Terrasa said Taylor was only guilty of participating in a drug transaction and he did not want to be involved in the fight.
“My client may be a follower, but he?s not an aider and abettor,” Terrasa said.
Prosecutor Susan Weinstein said that under state law “you?re just as responsible as the person who actually did the stabbing,” if that person is aiding and abetting in the act.
Prosecutor James Dietrich said Taylor was acting as the “quintessential lookout” and he prevented Lichtenstein from escaping by punching him.
Taylor?s mother, Shuree Taylor, who fought back tears, said her son was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Taylor and Leconte had approached Lichtenstein on Jan. 8 outside the mall and asked to buy marijuana, Lichtenstein testified.
But Leconte took the bag from him and put it in his pocket without paying, which incited the fight, Lichtenstein said.
Lichtenstein suffered stab wounds to three major organs and was treated for almost a month at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore City.
Howard police caught Taylor and Leconte as they ran from the scene. Taylor lied to police, saying he?d seen people “play-fighting” at the mall.
Leconte, who dropped a bloody knife, was hiding in a stairwell where he defecated in his pants, according to police.
Taylor has seven prior encounters with the juvenile system and was found involved ? the juvenile equivalent of guilty ? on charges of robbery and attempted armed robbery. Leconte?s trial is scheduled for September.
