Public will likely never know the outcome of case of two
freshmen who police say were planning a Columbine-style bombing
Morgan Hill – An incident that garnered nationwide attention – the alleged plot to stage a Columbine-like attack on Sobrato High – will likely never be publicly resolved, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office.
“In these kinds of cases, involving juveniles, the matter is confidential,” said David Soames, who is the assistant District Attorney supervising juvenile matters. “The records are sealed.”
Soames said Monday he could not speak of the specifics of the case involving two male Sobrato High students, a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old, who were taken to Juvenile Hall Dec. 15 after another Sobrato student told administrators and Morgan Hill Police of the alleged plan.
“There are certain exceptions, in which the information can be released to the public, but this is one that falls through the cracks,” Soames said. “In cases of murder, shooting into a building, rape with force … a whole laundry list of violent crimes, the records are not sealed. But in this kind of case, juveniles are protected, court appearances are not open to the public, and documents are confidential.”
The Dispatch is not releasing the names of the students, though their identity is widely known on the Sobrato campus.
The teens were still in Juvenile Hall Friday, according to MHPD Cmdr. Joe Sampson. They were arrested Dec. 15 on suspicion of criminal conspiracy.
Sampson said in general the charge carries an attachment, such as murder or terrorist threats, so the complete charge would be criminal conspiracy to commit murder, or criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist threats, but the attachment would be determined by the District Attorney’s office based on evidence in the case.
“If the D.A.’s office determines there is sufficient evidence to bring charges of criminal conspiracy, then the nature of the attachment would be determined by that evidence,” Sampson said last week.
The two teens, both Sobrato freshmen, were taken into custody after MHPD officers searched their homes later that night and took away items which Sampson said did not include either bombs or firearms. He said he could not be more specific.
Earlier that day, while school was in session, officers were called to the campus after administrators learned of the alleged plan. It was decided, Sampson said, that the best way to handle the situation was to bring the two students to the office for questioning while the campus was searched. It was while officers were on their way to the first student’s classroom that the fire alarm went off.
“They thought the incident was underway,” Sampson said. “It was a false alarm, but at the time, they thought it was real.”
The alarm went off after a construction worker in the kitchen area damaged a sprinkler head. Students, who had practiced a fire drill only the day before, were evacuated, and police searched the campus. No explosive devices were found. Students returned to class approximately 45 minutes later and continued the day on an abbreviated schedule.
