Teen Accused of Stabbing Classmate Wants Out of Jail
17-year-old charged with murder of Gables high classmate seeks release
By HANK TESTER and BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 8:00 AM EST, Fri, Nov 20, 2009
The teen accused of stabbing his Coral Gables High classmate at school was in court yesterday, seeking to get out of jail.
Andy Rodriguez sat crying in a Miami courtroom today as his lawyer argued for his release.
The 17-year-old has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of 17-year-old Juan Carlos Rivera in the hallways of the school on Sept. 15.
The two were reportedly in a dispute over Rodriguez's girlfriend. The two had reportedly gotten into a confrontation the day before, then things escalated when, according to Rodriguez, Rivera made a "bad face" to him.
Rivera was stabbed five times, once in the heart, and died at the school. Rodriguez has been behind bars ever since.
Most of the day was spent entering two police interrogation tapes into evidence and looking at surveillance video from the school's courtyard that caught some of the deadly altercation.
Rodriguez, who admitted he stabbed Rivera during interrogation, cried as the tape was played in court.
His lawyer, Alexander Michaels, argued Rodriguez was never afforded an attorney during the interrogation and was never given his Miranda rights.
Michaels described his young client's state of mind after the hearing.
"He's very upset, he's crying everyday. He's not the way the state tried to portray him," Michaels said. "He's a very nice sensitive kid...it's a tragedy what happened."
In court today were both of the teens' mothers, including Anais Cruz, the Cuban mother of Juan Carlos Rivera, who came to Miami in September to bury her son.
Outside the courtroom were several Rodriguez supporters, clad in all-white.
A fight broke out the last time Rodriguez was in court in early October, between the Rodriguez supporters and members of the media.
The issue of Rodriguez's bail never came up. The hearing is expected to continue on Monday.
First Published: Nov 19, 2009 12:36 PM EST
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