Murder charge reduced for NYC teen suspect in fatal stabbing

NEW YORK - The 14-year-old middle school student accused of fatally stabbing a classmate was indicted Monday on a manslaughter charge, reports CBS New York. He had initially been charged as an adult with murder.

Noel Estevez, the eighth grader accused of stabbing 14-year-old Timothy Crump to death outside a New York City middle school in the Bronx on June 18, will have his case transferred to Family Court along with the reduced charge, prosecutors said. According to the station, a grand jury voted Monday to indict Estevez on a charge of second-degree manslaughter.

Published reports indicated the suspect personally testified in front of the grand jury before the ruling on the indictment.

Estevez's attorney Eric Poulos said Crump had spent months bullying the teen, who allegedly felt that his life was in danger when he used a kitchen knife to repeatedly stab the victim, according to the station.

"Our feeling is that the Board of Ed failed [Estevez], the cops failed him, they wouldn't come to the house, they wouldn't transfer him from the school. Legal aid is not going to fail him," Poulos said late last month.

A family member told CBS New York the two teens were friends until Crump started bullying the suspect. Attorneys for Estevez have said they planned to interview his classmates about when and where any bullying may have occurred.

The station reports Estevez was hospitalized and diagnosed with several mental disorders after he tried to commit suicide last month. His family said he is currently in a fragile mental state, which was one of the reasons he was not in court Tuesday.