Refused Prosecution
Refused Prosecution
(602) 506-7551
PHOENIX, AZ 85003 FAX (602) 506-4320
WWW.MARICOPACOUNTYATTORNEY.ORG
County Attorney No.: 2030852 Prosecutor: Bernita Clark, Ryan Green, Jon
Eliason
Bureau: SP1-Homicide
An attorney has reviewed the report and has made the decision to decline prosecution on the following charge(s):
Disposition Note: Two charges were submitted for consideration: Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
(''Contributing'') and Criminal Nuisance. The evidence establishes that the suspect parents permitted their teenage
daughters to have what was intended to be a party or gathering among known friends. There is no evidence that
the parents furnished or supplied alcohol to minors or took any action with the intent to encourage minors to drink
or engage in criminal activity. The evidence shows that the parents broke up the party and ejected attendees after
a fight broke out. (This was a fight unrelated to the Preston Lord attack that occurred off the property). The
evidence submitted indicates that the party lasted no longer than 45 minutes before it was broken up by the
parents and that the parents did not invite nor permit their children to invite the majority of the teenagers who
attended the party. While the parents’ failures to carefully manage their property and act sooner than the lapse of
40 to 45 minutes are not ideal, these lapses do not rise to the level of crimes under the law. MCAO also
considered filing a charge under the disorderly conduct statute. However, the evidence does not establish that the
parents intended to disturb the peace of a person or neighborhood as required by law. In addition, even though
the peace of others was disturbed, that disturbance was due to the intentional actions of others, not those of the
parents.
This disposition form is intended for use by the prosecutor and submitting law enforcement agency identified below for law enforcement
purposes. The form contains information that qualifies as criminal history record information, prosecutor work product, and/or legally
privileged or confidential information. Any use, dissemination or distribution of this disposition form or the confidential information it
contains is prohibited. Legal research, records, correspondence, reports and memoranda that contain the opinions, theories or conclusions Page 1 of 2
of the prosecutor or prosecutor's staff are prosecutor work product.
If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact: Bernita Clark at (602) 506-3411 or
clarkb@mcao.maricopa.gov.
**Release for this prosecution only, if referred to another agency, please get their release. Do not release any property still
needed to prosecute co-defendants(s).