Two Oklahoma teenagers charged in the shooting death of an Australian baseball player in Oklahoma pleaded not guilty and waived their right to a speedy trial during a brief court appearance on Thursday, according to Reuters.
Michael Dewayne Jones, 18, and Chancey Allen Luna, 16, wore orange jail jumpsuits and their hands were cuffed as they appeared before Judge Joe Enos for their arraignment on first-degree murder charges in the killing last summer of 22-year-old Chris Lane, Reuters reported. A trial docket date of Aug. 18 was set for both teens.
Prosecutors say Lane, from Melbourne, Australia, was gunned down as he jogged near his girlfriend's parents' house in Duncan, about 80 miles south of Oklahoma City, according to Reuters. He was preparing to enter his senior season as a catcher at East Central University in Ada.
A third teenage defendant named James Francis Edwards Jr., 16, agreed to testify against Jones and Luna if prosecutors reduce charges against him, Reuters reported.
Edwards testified at the preliminary hearing for Luna and Jones last month that he was rolling joints in the front passenger seat when Luna fired the fatal shot from the back while Jones drove, according to Reuters.
Luna and Jones both said they had believed the gun used in the killing held blanks, not a live round, Edwards testified, Reuters reported.
Edwards was charged with accessory after the fact because prosecutors say he made a phone call from the Stephens County Jail between Aug. 16 and Dec. 31, 2013, and asked someone to dispose of the weapon, according to Reuters. He is due back in court in May for a preliminary hearing for that charge.
Prosecutors have said they will drop the first-degree murder charge in exchange for him continuing to testify against the other two teenagers through trial, Reuters reported. A lawyer for Jones has filed a motion seeking all agreements between the state and witnesses, specifically Edwards.
Family members for both teens were in attendance Thursday, as was the girlfriend of Lane and they all left without comment following the hearing, according to Reuters. A gag order prevents lawyers and others from discussing the case outside of court.
