Trial of Homicide Defendant, 17, Will Start Today
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ORANGE — The trial of 17-year-old Christian Aaron Steffens, accused in the September shooting death of Robert James Elliott, 18, on a Dana Point beach, is scheduled to open today in Orange County Juvenile Court.
The case had been scheduled to begin last week, but court scheduling problems have delayed the opening of the trial until 1:30 p.m. today before Juvenile Court Presiding Judge Francisco P. Briseno.
In January, Juvenile Court Judge Robert B. Hutson ruled that Christian would be tried as a juvenile and not as an adult for the Sept. 8 shooting.
The judge’s decision means that Christian, if convicted, cannot be incarcerated beyond the age of 25. If tried as an adult and convicted, he could have been sentenced to a term ranging up to life imprisonment.
In previous court proceedings, Deputy Public Defender Marri Derby argued that Christian fired at Elliott because Elliott was chasing Christian on the beach and Christian was in fear of his life.
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