Judge denies bond reduction for 4 teens accused in Frickey’s carjacking, dragging death

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - On Friday, an Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge denied a request to lower bonds for four teens accused of carjacking and dragging Linda Frickey to death in Mid City.

Bonds for John Honore, Briniyah Baker, Lenyra Theophile, and Mar’qel Curtis will remain at $1 million each.

The four pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder charges in May and are set to be tried as adults, facing mandatory life sentences if convicted.

Police say the teens carjacked Frickey, 73, in broad daylight on March 21, dragging her several blocks while she was tangled in her seatbelt to the point where her arm was severed from her body. She bled to death in the street.

Families on both sides of the case have said they intend to make every court appearance, both fighting for justice and taking the opportunity to see incarcerated loved ones.

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“They didn’t need to do that,” Frickey’s sister Jinny Griffin says. “When he started beating her they needed to stop. The girls needed to leave. If you didn’t want to be there, leave. But now, no. It’s not a mistake. They did it. They did it.”

“This was one of the most violent carjackings we’ve ever seen; these young people dragged Mrs. Frickey, severing her arm as they all fled the scene in her car. Today’s grand jury decision to indict these young people for Second Degree Murder is fair and ensures they are appropriately held accountable,” District Attorney Jason Williams said in a statement.

Much of the gruesome killing was caught on camera.

“The issue is going to be what was in these kids’ minds?” legal analyst Joe Raspanti says. “The only place where there’s going to be wiggle room is ‘oh we didn’t intend to kill her’ and maybe they’ll land on a manslaughter or possible negligent homicide as verdicts that the jury can pick.”

Trials are set to start in April of 2023.

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