Unique T. Myers must stay in prison, a Schuylkill County judge ruled Friday after denying the teenager's request for a bail reduction in his robbery case resulting from a March incident in Pottsville.
"I have to agree with the commonwealth," Judge John E. Domalakes said in turning down Myers' petition to lower his bail from $50,000 straight cash to $10,000 percentage, which would have required the defendant to post only $1,000 cash to go free pending trial. "Bail will remain as is."
A spokesman for the Schuylkill County Prison said late Friday afternoon that Myers still is behind bars.
Myers, 15, of Pottsville, has been charged as an adult with robbery, conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief.
Pottsville police allege Myers and his brother, Shayne Calloway, Sinking Spring, used a knife and a firearm, respectively, to rob Jamie Dietrich of a Samsung Galaxy S3 cellular telephone, which has a value of $600, and keys at 11:28 p.m. March 31 at 200 Downing St. near the intersection with West Race Street in the city.
Police said Myers admitted that he participated in the robbery.
On Friday, Myers testified he has been in prison since May and would like to return home to live with his father and his father's girlfriend.
"I would try to go to cyber school or charter school," the defendant said while wearing handcuffs and a prison jumpsuit.
"Do you have any history of drug or alcohol problems?" Michael J. Fiorillo, Pottsville, Unique Myers' lawyer, asked him.
"No, sir," the defendant an-swered.
Myers said he is in isolation at the county prison.
"Is that taking a toll on you?" Fiorillo asked him.
"Yes, sir," he responded.
Under cross-examination by Assistant District Attorney Robert M. Reedy, Myers said he had poor grades and attendance at school, and had been in legal trouble while living with his mother in Chester County. However, he denied making any threats toward Dietrich.
However, Lori Chaplick, a county juvenile probation officer, testified Myers had done precisely that.
"'I'm going to kill him'," is what Myers said while 10 or 15 feet from Dietrich, Chaplick testified. "(Myers) was getting more and more agitated."
James L. Myers, the defendant's father, testified he could post $1,000 for his son's bail. He also said his son could live with him pending trial.
However, Domalakes said the combination of the defendant's previous legal problems, the seriousness of the charges, his tenuous ties to the county and the issuance of a bench warrant for him tipped the scale in favor of the prosecution's position against a bail reduction.
"All of those things suggest he is a potential flight risk," Domalakes said of the defendant.Defendant: Unique T. Myers
Age: 15
Residence: Pottsville
Charges: Robbery, conspiracy, theft, receiving stolen property, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and criminal mischief