A Harris County judge refused to reduce a $140,000 bond for Luis Alonzo Alfaro, the teenager facing murder charges for the stabbing at Spring High School that left one student dead and three others injured.
While this Tuesday morning court session was initially scheduled for an arraignment, Alfaro's attorney Milan Marinkovich tells CultureMap that the case remains in a preliminary stage and has yet to reach a grand jury.
"I'd like to stress that this is a 17-year-old young man without a criminal history."
An investigation is ongoing and, in spite of the circumstance, Marnikovich says that his client is "doing remarkably well."
"I'd like to stress that this is a 17-year-old young man without a criminal history," the attorney says. "His first experience with the justice system is facing a first degree felony with a punishment of five to 99 years."
Gang Concerns
Following the tragic Sept. 4 killing, the Harris County Sheriff's Office issued a statement citing "gang rivalries" as an apparent motive. And while both the Harris County district attorneys' office and Alfaro's defense team refuse to label the case "gang-related," concerns continue to mount throughout the Spring area.
Eyewitnesses at a memorial service for 17-year-old victim Joshua Broussard reported spotting members of the Brown Pride gang before a 40-person brawl and gunfire erupted in the church parking lot.
Meanwhile, in the first half of September, Spring High School disciplined at least 25 students through a special gang suppression unit. More than 130 students left the high school in the two weeks after the stabbing.
The victim's family claims that Broussard was never involved in a gang, but noted that he voiced fears about school violence just days before his death.
Marinkovich also contends that his client was not affiliated with a gang. In fact, he told KTRK Ch. 13 in September that Alfaro was simply defending himself against bullies during the fatal stabbing.
"My client was being attacked by three, possibly four individuals, being punched repeatedly in the head and the face," the attorney explained. "If you go on to take a look at his booking photo — I've actually met with him and seen him — he has a number of bruises above his eye, below his eye."
Alfaro's next court date has yet to be scheduled.
Joshua Broussard, 17, was fatally stabbed the morning Sept. 4 inside Spring High School.
