Teenager Faces Trial as Adult in Beating Death of Skateboarder

The star quarterback at Littlerock High School was ordered Friday to stand trial as an adult in the beating death of an 18-year-old man, prosecutors said.

Richard Newton, 17, has been charged with murder in the death of Christopher O’Leary, an avid skateboarder who police said was attacked by several football players during a May 19 fight at a Littlerock party. O’Leary suffered severe head trauma and died three days later.

Two of Newton’s teammates, Marcus Raines and Rodney Woods, both 17, face the same charges.

According to police, O’Leary was picking up his girlfriend from the party when he was punched in the face by Newton. When O’Leary fell to the ground, he was allegedly kicked in the head by Raines, a top linebacker and high hurdler at the school.

Raines and Newton are being held at Sylmar Juvenile Hall.

Woods, whom the judge earlier released from Juvenile Hall and placed under house arrest, also allegedly participated in the beating.

Prosecutors have also charged the defendants with assault in a second fight involving a 22-year-old friend of O’Leary’s who was at the party. A fourth member of the football team, a 17-year-old, has also been charged with assault in that incident.

Los Angeles County Juvenile Court Judge Morton Rochman ruled Newton should be tried as an adult, Deputy Dist. Atty. Alan Yochelson said. The judge is expected to decide in late September whether Raines and Woods should also face trial in adult court, Yochelson said.