Christopher Plaskon, 17, is pictured here at an earlier court appearance. Left to right are attorney Edward Gavin, Plaskon’s uncle and guardian Paul Healy, Christopher Plaskon and attortney Richard Meehan, Jr. (Photo by Arnold Gold/New Haven Register)
Christopher Plaskon, the 17-year-old Milford boy accused of stabbing his classmate Maren Sanchez to death April 25 at Jonathan Law High School, is due in court Wednesday for what lawyers said in June would be a status report.
In June, Plaskon pled not guilty to murder in Milford Superior Court. He also waived his right to a probable cause hearing and elected to have his case go before a three-judge panel rather than a jury of 12 people.
His attorney, Richard Meehan, said in June that he believes a trial before a panel of three judges is in his client’s best interests. Plaskon’s attorneys may focus the not-guilty plea on Plaskon’s mental health, and said a panel of judges is more likely to understand the dynamics of mental illness.
The panel members and date for the trial had not been set as of the last court appearance.
Plaskon’s attorney told the press what he expects to happen in court Wednesday.
“As you are aware there is an assignment on this matter for Wednesday. To save any of you the phone calls, we intend to report to the Court that our investigation is proceeding and we have been receiving discovery material from the State,” Meehan wrote in a press release.
He said he doesn’t expect anything substantive to occur Wednesday and that the court will set the date for the next court appearance.
“Chris will be in court with his Uncle Paul Healy,” Meehan said. “We have no further comment on the status of the defense efforts at this time.”
Sources say that Plaskon stabbed Maren because she was not going to the prom with him.
An autopsy report states that Maren died of stab wounds to the trunk and neck, and her death was ruled a homicide.
Plaskon is being held at the Manson Youth Institute in Cheshire on $3 million bond. His lawyers in June described him as a “sad and sorrowful youngster,” and said he was on a number of medications, including anti-psychotic and anxiety medication.