Teen Murder Suspect Released to Home

A Littlerock High School football star suspected of murder was released from Juvenile Hall Friday and placed under house arrest on a judge’s orders.

Los Angeles County Juvenile Court Judge Morton Rockman ruled that Rodney Woods “does not present a danger to the community.”

Rockman also found enough evidence against Woods and his two co-defendants and football teammates, Marcus Raines and Richard Newton, for the state to go forward with murder charges. The co-defendants are being held at Juvenile Hall in Sylmar.

In three separate hearings scheduled for August, a judge will determine whether the three, all 17 years of age, should be tried as adults in the slaying of Christopher O’Leary, 18.

Coroner’s investigators concluded O’Leary died of head trauma on May 22, three days after a party during which the three defendants are accused of kicking O’Leary in the head, even after he had lost consciousness.

Attorneys for the three minors disagree on who kicked O’Leary and offered a preview of possible defense strategies Friday.

Jack L. Rudosfsky, Newton’s attorney, told Morton there were “varying accounts as to who kicked the victim in the head.” He said Woods was the only one of the three youths who wore boots on the night of the fight.

Woods’ attorney, James E. Blatt, argued another boy at the party had told investigators he had held Woods back from the melee. “My client [Woods] never touched Mr. O’Leary,” Blatt said.

Denise McLaughlin-Bennett, Raines’ attorney, said her client may have thrown the first punch, but said Raines kept his feet to himself.

McLaughlin said O’Leary was “aggressive,” and referred to police interviews in which witnesses said O’Leary had claimed gang membership. She also said O’Leary was involved in a fight earlier that night and was hit in the head with a bottle. That could have been the fatal blow, McLaughlin said.

Prosecutors dismissed that argument. “There’s no evidence of that,” Deputy Dist. Atty. Melissa Decker said.

Sheriff’s investigators have questioned at least two dozen witnesses, some of whom contradicted each other. Decker acknowledged some witnesses could have been intoxicated at the time of the fight.

At least one girl who was present at the party admitted lying to deputies in an effort to protect Woods, according to a witness statement that Decker read in court.

“When you have 20 to 25 witnesses,” Decker said, “not everyone is going to see the same thing. It’s just human nature that you’re going to get different accounts, because people were doing different things and had different vantage points.”

Newton, Raines and Woods were star athletes at Littlerock High School. Newton was Littlerock’s starting quarterback and Raines was an All-Golden League linebacker and in track was ranked No. 2 statewide in high hurdles.

Woods had been offered a four-year football scholarship to Cal State Fresno. He was placed under house arrest Friday and his ankle will be fitted with an electronic monitor band.

Still, his mother and father were overjoyed at his release and embraced him heartily.

“I thank God he’s out,” said his father, Michael Woods. “Now we just have to trust in the justice system.”