Attorneys for Frickey murder suspects strike out in latest court hearing

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Attorneys for the four teens accused of carjacking and killing Linda Frickey had their two latest motions denied by an Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge on Monday (Jan. 30).

Attorneys for John Honore, Briniyah Baker, Lenyra Theophile, and Mar’qel Curtis say their clients were too young to understand the crime and shouldn’t be charged as adults. Defense attorneys argued that the teens didn’t have the brain development to understand what they were doing. They also argued it’s cruel and unusual punishment to charge them as adults.

Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Kimya Holmes disagreed, denying a motion to quash the teens’ indictments.

“I feel they were competent,” Frickey’s sister, Jinny Griffin, said outside of court. “They knew what they were doing. They made that choice. They got in that car.”

The four juveniles are charged with the second-degree murder of the 73-year-old woman. Police say the teens carjacked her on March 21 on Bienville Street, dragging her through several Mid City blocks while she was tangled in her seatbelt. Eventually, Frickey’s arm was severed and she bled to death in the street.

“Their lawyers were grasping at straws and they keep referring to them as the child and the children and it cuts you like a knife because they knew better,” Frickey’s sister-in-law, Kathy Richard, said.

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Attorneys argued that the juveniles should be tried separately. Defense attorneys pointed to Honore, the 17-year-old driver, as the sole suspect who should be charged with Frickey’s murder. Attorneys for the other accused killers each argued about where their clients were positioned in the car or just outside of it while Frickey was beaten and killed.

Judge Holmes also denied a motion by the defendants seeking separate trials.

District Attorney Jason Williams says video of the heinous act proved the teens planned their attack prior to approaching Frickey. Williams says the defense’s argument that their clients signed up for a carjacking and not murder is not a usable strategy.

“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.

“They knew he had mace,” Richard says. “They knew what he intended and he walked up to Linda, sprayed her with mace. From the get-go, she didn’t have a chance.”

Last August, Judge Holmes denied a request to lower bonds for the four teens.

“They came at her like a pack of wolves,” Griffin says. “I mean the woman was just sitting in her car.”

“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.”

Family of both the juveniles and Frickey have been showing up to every court hearing and packing the courtroom.

The next court date is Feb. 15, a competency hearing for Baker. Trials are set to start in April.

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