Update: Accused Killers of Nashville Singer Booted from Courtroom
Three teenagers charged with the murder of an aspiring Nashville singer were bounced out of court last week for their behavior.
Singer Kyle Yorlets was shot to death on Feb. 7 outside his Nashville home. Five juveniles, ranging in age from 12 to 16, were later arrested in connection with the crime.
During a juvenile court hearing Thursday for Diamond Lewis, 15; Roniyah McKnight, 14; and an unidentified 13-year-old, Nashville police Detective Melody Saxon said a witness saw the interaction that resulted in Yorlets’ death.
“He actually saw them go up to the victim and saw the gun being held out and heard a shot,” she said. The witness ducked, then heard another shot, she said.
After the shooting, Yorlets made it back into his house, but was not discovered until about two hours after the shooting. He was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead.
Saxon said the 13-year-old said he and Decorrius Wright, 16, who is also charged in the case, both had guns when they went to rob Yorlets. Saxon said the 13-year-old was caught on a surveillance camera holding a silver and black gun in his hand.
Saxon said the 13-year-old said “a shot went off” when Yorlets would not hand over his car keys, but it was not his gun, WIVB reported.
Three of the five juveniles accused of killing #Nashville musician Kyle Yorlets were removed from the courtroom during their hearing because the judge said he didn’t feel they were taking the severity of the case seriously https://t.co/PvF5fDqd76
— WSMV News4 Nashville (@WSMV) February 22, 2019
The youths were not always quiet during the hearing.
One muttered, “better not say my name” several times as Saxon was testifying, according to The Tennessean.
During the hearing, lawyers for the teens and court staff told the youths to stop talking and laughing with each other.
Eventually, Juvenile Court Magistrate Mike O’Neil had enough and had defendants removed.
“I don’t think they’re very interested,” O’Neil said, according to The Tennessean. “They’ve been sitting there like they’ve been sitting on the playground.”
Defense attorney Michie Gibson, representing one of the suspects, used the incident as a reason to request leniency in judging the youths.
“We’re dealing with children and they might not appreciate or understand the seriousness of what happened,” Gibson said.
During the hearing, Gibson sought to spread the blame.
“We’re dealing with children, and everybody needs to be responsible. Everybody needs to lock their cars and make sure they don’t leave their guns in there,” she said. “A lot of people carry guns, and I do, too, but I try my best to make sure it’s not left in the car at night, and I never leave my car running.”
The youths were arrested several hours after the shooting at a Nashville-area Walmart.
Police said one of the youths dropped a loaded gun on the seat of a police car after being arrested. Police were also told by the youths where to find a second gun inside Walmart.
Presecutors want to try all five youths as adults.
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