Atlantic City teen ordered held in 2023 killing when he was 16

An Atlantic City teen accused of fatally stabbing a friend when both were 16 was ordered detained after his case was moved to adult court.

Trumaine Clements Jr., now 18, has been in the Harborfields Juvenile Detention Center since his arrest shortly after the Aug. 16, 2023, stabbing.

He was waived up to be tried as an adult earlier this month.

Police were called to the Carver Hall Apartments in the 1300 block of Caspian Avenue at about 10:40 that night for the report of a juvenile stabbed.

Clements was found in his apartment at 1310 Magellan Ave., with a blood-stained knife, according to the charges. Lab tests would later find the blood belonged to the victim, identified only as S.B.

“They were apparently good friends right up until a few moments before this unfortunate incident took place,” defense attorney Wayne Powell told the judge at a detention hearing this week.

In fact, the two were co-defendants in a third-degree theft. 

Clements was sentenced to six months’ probation in that case on Nov. 3, 2022, Assistant Prosecutor Edmund Mallqui Burgos told the judge. 

Clements violated three months later, when he incurred a simple assault charge Feb. 6, 2023.

His probation was extended three months on May 18, 2023, as a result. 

Three months after that, Clements allegedly stabbed S.B. once in the chest, killing the other teen.

Powell indicated there may be a case for self-defense, but acknowledged that argument would be for trial not a detention hearing.

“We just don’t want the court to believe that we believe the state has a strong case against this defend,” he said.

Video surveillance showed Clements fleeing the scene and immediately returning to his apartment, according to the affidavit of probable cause. Two older males were found in the apartment, but did not match the suspect in the video.

Powell argued that his client could be released, and would not be a flight risk considering his age.

“He has no driver’s license, no car, no separate residence of his own,” the attorney said. “He is entirely reliant on his mother to sustain him if he’s released.”

Powell also said there was no danger of further issues, as “the members of my client’s family and the family of the victim have apparently made their peace.”

The public safety assessment, which helps determined whether a defendant should be held under bail reform, recommended detention. 

Usually the presumption is for release, which the state must overcome. Because Clements faces a potential life sentence, the presumption is to detain.

Powell pointed out that prior to the 2017 bail reforms, murder defendants were entitled to monetary bail, which is no longer the case.

Clements already had been ordered held during a hearing before the Family Court in 2023, even though the presumption there was release and he faced 20 years as a juvenile not life, Mallqui Burgos said.

Judge Dorothy Garrabrant agreed with the prior decision, ordering Clements held.

“The defendant carried a knife on date of the incident,” she said. “(He) had the ability to de-escalate the situation. His actions appear to be — at this juncture — unprovoked and disproportionate.”

Clements will remain in the juvenile facility. Juvenile offenders waived up to adult court usually stay with other teens unless the state makes a motion to move them to adult jail.