5 Youths Will Stand Trial Together in Fatal Stabbing

Five Conejo Valley teen-agers will stand trial together for the stabbing death of an Agoura Hills youth who was the son of a Los Angeles police officer, a Superior Court judge ruled Friday.

“This was a single incident with allegedly five participants, so it seems to me it must be consolidated,” said acting Superior Court Judge Lawrence J. Mira.

Trial is set for Oct. 6 in Malibu court. The five teens are accused of fatally stabbing James Farris III and wounding Michael McLoren, both 16, of Agoura Hills, during what police say was an attempted robbery of marijuana from McLoren’s back-yard clubhouse.

Three of the defendants--Micah Holland, 15, of Thousand Oaks; Chris Velardo, 17, of Oak Park, and Tony Miliotti, 18, of Westlake Village--were also arraigned Friday on charges of murder, attempted murder and robbery. The charges against Holland and Miliotti also include murder with special circumstances because the slaying allegedly was committed during a robbery in which a weapon was used.

A special-circumstances designation means the death penalty could be sought. Prosecutors expect to decide by September whether they will seek the death penalty.

Holland and Velardo, as well as Miliotti, who turned 18 about two weeks after the May 22 fatal stabbing, are being prosecuted as adults.

Holland’s brother, Jason Holland, 18, and Brandon Wade Hein, 18, of Oak Park, had previously been arraigned on charges of murder with special circumstances, attempted murder and robbery.

The two Holland brothers, Hein and Miliotti are being held without bail. Velardo, who authorities said was sitting in a waiting pickup truck during the attack, is being held in Sylmar Juvenile Hall on $1-million bail.

Hein’s attorney, Jill Lansing, said she plans to make a motion to dismiss the case, based on violations of Hein’s right to a speedy trial. Hein’s trial was to begin Monday.