Family Of Teen Accused Of Stabbing Another Teen Ask Broward Judge To Reduce $250,000 Bond
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Pompano Beach teen accused of attempted murder is asking a judge to reduce his bond, allowing him a chance to get out of jail while he awaits trial.
On Wednesday morning, a Broward courtroom was packed with supporters of another Pompano Beach teen who was nearly killed in a stabbing last April.
Keith Tatton was stabbed and required multiple pints of blood and several surgeries after his femoral artery was severed.
"He's severely brain-damaged, dealing with a lot of physical injuries after all, he died four times at the hospital. He received about 10 surgeries now, open heart, 70-75 blood transfusions. He's lucky to be alive," said Keith's father, Michael Tatton.
The accused, Zachary Stoddard, was in court where his mom and lawyer asked for a reduced bond.
Michael along with family and friends were in court as Stoddard asked for a reduced bond, which is currently $250,000.
Stoddard's mom testified they can't afford that.
"We have zero equity, I am in debt. I work full time, my husband is a real estate broker. We live separately. We're separated," said Stoddard's mother.
Prosecutors say Stoddard has a violent history and that $250,000 bond is low because he's a danger to society.
Stoddard's attorney, meanwhile, argues all of this was self-defense.
"We have uncovered a substantial amount of evidence that indicates that the alleged victim was strangling my client at the time of the stabbing," said Stoddard's attorney.
Prosecutors argue there's no evidence of that, saying this began when Stoddard attacked a girl in Keith's car and that when Keith defended her, Stoddard stabbed him.
"My son was just pulling him off of the girl he was strangling. He didn't know the boy had a knife in his pocket, my son got hit in his aorta and femoral artery and was left there to die and he was taunted by this man," said Keith's father.
Stoddard is being charged as an adult.
