Victim’s Father Barred From Court : Hearing: Intimidation of a defense witness is reported in the slaying of an 18-year-old on Dana Point beach.

Saying he is concerned about possible intimidation of witnesses, Juvenile Court Judge Robert B. Hutson on Thursday ordered the father of a Dana Point slaying victim to stay away from court.

Hutson ordered Steve Elliott to leave the grounds of Juvenile Court after Elliott was accused of threatening a defense witness. Elliott denied the accusation but admitted that he had talked to one defense witness and had tried Wednesday to get his address.

Elliott is the father of Robert Elliott, 18, who was killed by a gunshot Sept. 8 at Dana Strand, a beach at the base of the Dana Point Headlands. Christian Steffens, now 17, is accused of firing the fatal shot.

Hutson is conducting a hearing to determine whether Steffens should be tried as a juvenile or an adult. The hearing began Dec. 17 and resumed Wednesday with testimony by Matt Williams, 21, a neighbor of Steffens.

Williams testified Wednesday that Steffens looked “scared for his life” two days before the slaying.

Deputy Public Defender Marri Derby said Williams’ testimony supports her bid to prove that Steffens had been terrorized by Elliott and thus shot him to death in self-defense.

After court recessed Wednesday afternoon, Steve Elliott spoke outside of court with Williams.

Derby then told Hutson that Williams subsequently complained to her that he felt threatened by Elliott’s comments.

On Thursday morning, Hutson privately conferred with Derby and Deputy Dist. Atty. Bernadette Cemore. The judge then walked into the courtroom and ordered that Elliott be summoned.

When Elliott came into the courtroom, Hutson said: “It’s come to my attention that there was a confrontation between Mr. Williams, one of the witnesses, and yourself yesterday.”

Elliott responded, “That’s not correct, your honor,” but then said that he had only asked Williams for his address “and he volunteered a portion of it. . . . I indicated to him I was prosecuting a civil action, and that is the reason I wanted the address.”

Hutson responded: “He reported this to Miss Derby and her investigator, and they apparently feel he felt threatened and intimidated by that confrontation. . . . I cannot allow intimidation of witnesses.”

The judge noted that Elliott has been in court every day during the hearing, accompanied by other family members. “This is the second time I will have now had to warn somebody from your group about outbursts,” Hutson said.

The judge’s first warning last month came when people with Elliott made outbursts in court.

Hutson then ordered Elliott to leave the court premises, including the parking area, and to stay away.

“Don’t be here,” Hutson said. “If I find that you’ve come back to this complex at all, you’ll be arrested.”

Elliott, visibly angry, strode from the courtroom.

The judge said his order does not apply to other members of the Elliott family or to acquaintances who have been attending.

The hearing continued Thursday afternoon with more testimony about events surrounding the slaying. More testimony is scheduled today.

If tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder, Steffens could get a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. If tried as a juvenile and convicted, he could be held only until age 25.