Three teens charged in connection with a Valentine’s Day fatal stabbing of another teen at Santana Row in San Jose were back before a judge Monday morning.
Their plea hearings were continued until May 12.
The family and friends of 15-year-old victim David Gutierrez once again rallied outside the courthouse to demand justice for their loved one. When one of the 16-year-old boys charged in connection with Gutierrez's slaying walked into the courthouse, the ralliers raised their voices and directed their chants of justice for David towards him.
He’s the only suspect in the case who has been released back to his family during the court proceedings, a decision by the judge that the family vehemently disagrees with.
Gutierrez's mother, who did not want to be identified by name, told NBC Bay Area that the community needs to know that when people are allowed to be released after 6 to 8 months for murder, it's a threat to public safety.
When asked about her son, she said: "He was amazing. He was a very, very lovely kid. He loved everyone and helped everyone around him. And he didn’t deserve to die this way.
"I want to believe that there’s going to be some type of justice, but I think the community needs to know that we got to stand up and we got to use our voice to change these laws," she continued. "They’re not appropriate for a murder."
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The Gutierrez family is trying to find legislators in Sacramento to change the law that allows sentences of only 8 months for murder. The 13-year-old suspected of stabbing Gutierrez was in court last week for a plea hearing, but his attorney asked the judge for more time to review evidence before entering a plea.
The boy is scheduled to be back in court June 26.
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