An Atlantic City teen charged with attempted murder as a minor was ordered held in jail after he allegedly conspired to assault a juvenile detention officer.
DeMarcus Roberts, who turned 18 May 6, was in the Harborfields Atlantic Youth Center for two aggravated assaults, which included weapons charges and attempted murder, according to information provided at his detention hearing Friday.
Details of his juvenile cases were not available.
While in juvenile detention, Roberts and three others in the facility allegedly conspired to attack the officer, who was “giving them shit,” the judge said one of Roberts’ co-defendants told investigators.
Surveillance video shows the four teens surrounding the officer, and then Roberts throws an air purifier at his head, according to the charges.
The public safety assessment, which is used to help determine whether a defendant is held under bail reform, gave him low marks and recommended he be released on his own recognizance, the judge said with a chuckle.
“The wrinkle in all of this, and why it is so low in the court’s opinion, is the algorithm has not picked up the juvenile record of the defendant nor have they picked up the circumstances of the allegations here,” Judge Patricia Wild said.
“If he’s permitted to go back to that juvenile detention center, I don’t think any officer (there) would be safe,” she said.
Wild also held him on the basis of likelihood to obstruct justice.
“He’s in a detention center and does what he did,” she said. “If that’s not obstruction, I don’t know what is.”
Roberts, who was in black-and-white stripes that mark “high-profile” inmates, put his head in his hand at her decision.
The state also is moving to have his shooting case waived up to be tried as an adult as well, Assistant Prosecutor Katrina Koerner said.
