Wednesday, March 5, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
The 9-year-old boy arrested on charges he vandalized 348 feet of fresh cement at a condominium construction site has pleaded not guilty in a Juvenile Court.
Juvenile Hearing Master Sylvia Beller set an April 21 trial date for Jeremy Anderson, whose mother has lashed out at police for arresting the boy at school and transporting him to Juvenile Hall without contacting her.
The boy's parents, to a certain extent, also may be on trial as the contractor, Signature Homes, seeks compensation for the damage that Jeremy has admitted to police he caused on Nov. 19.
The initial stretch of sidewalk cost Signature Homes $3,200 and the amount to remove and replace the damaged walk has been set at about $7,100, bringing the total monetary damages to $10,300.
Because of damage to the sidewalk, the city building inspector rejected it and demanded it be replaced before the city would accept it as public property, said Deputy District Attorney Robert Teuton, who heads the juvenile division.
He noted that the replacement costs would be borne by parties other than the taxpayers.
Jeremy has claimed he was given permission to scrawl his name and those of his friends in the wet cement by his condominium complex near Washington Avenue and Durango Drive.
His mother, Barbara Anderson, told the SUN she doesn't have the money that the development company is asking.
Teuton said it is possible that if Jeremy is convicted, his parents will be ordered to participate in the payment of restitution.
Signature Homes also could seek compensation in civil court.
Teuton said parents can be held liable for up to $10,000 for the intentional acts of their children.
The veteran prosecutor noted that there is a bill pending in the Legislature to require restitution in all appropriate criminal cases, and if a juvenile can't pay, the parents must.
Although Jeremy was arrested at school and booked into the juvenile facility, he won't be going to a youth facility if he is convicted.
Teuton said that because of the boy's age, he "most likely" would be placed on probation.
At the trial, Teuton said he anticipates prosecution witnesses will be the building inspector, a representative of the contractor and the Metro Police detective to whom Jeremy confessed.
While Beller, as a juvenile master, will decide the case, a guilty verdict could be appealed to Juvenile Judge Terrance Marren for a new trial.
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