Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Rules Teenage Defendant Should Be Tried As an Adult

07 Dec Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Rules Teenage Defendant Should Be Tried As an Adult

Koalten Orr

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Overturning a Craig County Judge’s decision, the Court of Criminal Appeals late this morning ordered Koalten Orr be tried as an adult.

Orr, 14 years old at the time, is charged with gunning down his stepmother Laura Hendrix in August of 2016.  CF-2016-174

Orr was previously found competent to stand trial.

Craig County Prosecutor Tony Evans originally charged Orr as an adult because under the law a teenager is tried as an adult if charged with first degree murder.  Today the appellate judges agreed.

About today’s ruling Evans says “We agree with the appeals court’s decision.  It is the correct interpretation of the law and we will continue to pursue justice on behalf of Laura Hendrix.”

Following the preliminary hearing on August 11, 2017 Orr was bound over for trial.  Through testimony Orr’s initial claims he’d been sexually abused by his victim were discredited.  He’s now set for District Court Arraignment in Vinita January 8, 2018.