Judge Kari Bloom of Hamilton County Juvenile Court has ruled that the teenager accused of murdering a University of Cincinnati student in March will be tried as an adult.
According to reports, the teenager is alleged to have murdered Benjamin Addison, a 21-year-old male, on March 30th during an attempted car theft.
Sitting just a few feet away from the 18-year-old teenager accused of killing their son, Joe Addison and Yeshi Leggesse anxiously awaited the judge’s decision on whether the teen would be tried as an adult. Judge Bloom ultimately made the decision, as Addison and Leggesse held their breath, hoping for justice for their son.
Addison expressed their unwavering commitment to attending every court appearance since April, and vowed to continue doing so until the end, regardless of how long it takes. “This is our sixth court appearance, but we won’t give up,” Addison declared.
According to prosecutors, the suspect, who was 17 years old at the time, is facing multiple charges for allegedly shooting and killing Addison. The victim had just finished spending the night with his friends and was returning to his car on Highland Avenue when he saw the suspect sitting in the passenger seat. The suspect is accused of taking the life of Addison in this tragic incident.
The prosecution and defense both interrogated the detective on the case regarding the evidence they had collected before the judge made a decision.
According to Addison’s parents, while this is just the start of the case, they will continue to pray for justice for their son.
Leggesse expressed that justice for Benjamin is all they want and that only God can ensure that the boy responsible for their son’s harm gets punished.
It is likely that Judge Bloom’s ruling in the case found probable cause.
The suspect has been ordered to remain at the Hamilton County Justice Center until he is tried as an adult. The judge has set his bond at $200,000.
