Plea Offer Withdrawn for Youths in Stabbing

Three south Orange County teenagers who were set to plead guilty in last summer’s near-fatal stabbing of a 16-year-old are now being forced to stand trial after a prosecutor on Monday revoked his initial plea.

The teenagers--Steve Crader, 17, of Aliso Viejo; Kurtis Pinedo, 17 of Laguna Hills; and Joshua Riazi, 16, of Dana Point--said last week that they were prepared to admit to being gang members and participating in the assault in exchange for more lenient jail terms. The prosecutor also would have dropped the most serious charge of attempted murder against the boys, all of whom are being tried as adults.

But Deputy Dist. Atty. John Conley rescinded the plea agreement before it was officially accepted in court Monday, saying that he wanted to take the case to a jury. Conley had not offered the same deal to two other suspects--Jesse Grist, 17, of Laguna Niguel, and Josh Carlsen, 21, of Dana Point--because officials believe they played a more active role in the attack.

The gang allegation against the boys shook their communities and sparked widespread debate. Sheriff’s deputies said the charges were warranted, even though the boys defy the stereotype of gang members. But some residents assert that officials overreacted.