NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Four teenagers appeared in a full courtroom Wednesday morning following the fatal carjacking of New Orleans area woman Linda Frickey.
The four suspects, John Honore (17), Briniyah Baker (16), Lenyra Theophile (15), and Mar’Qel Curtis (15) all met before a judge, ultimately pleading not guilty to second-degree murder.
Each of the teens was granted a public defender because they could not afford one.
Last week, DA Jason Williams announced the indictment of the four teenagers, who range between the ages of 15 and 17, would be tried as adults moving forward. If convicted, they could each face up to life in prison.
The four were arrested in late March, just one day after they reportedly robbed Frickey, 73, of her car which led to her being dragged for several blocks until her arm was severed, ultimately killing her. A large public effort to arrest the four suspects intensified after NOPD released video footage of the gruesome Mid-City incident.
Wednesday was the first time Frickey’s family saw the teens who are accused of killing her. Frickey’s sister told us after the arraignment that she was very upset and disappointed that all four teens pleaded not guilty.
“I wish I could have told them, ‘What were you doing? What were you thinking? 13 blocks?'” Jinny Lynn-Griffin told WGNO. “As you can see I am mad now. I was mad when I had seen them. They killed my sister and they said ‘not guilty.’”
The pre-trial conference date is set for Friday, June 3 at 9 a.m. From there, the rest of the trial will be scheduled.
Their bonds remain set at $1 million each.
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