SEATTLE — The teenager accused of killing a Maple Valley man with her car while he was jogging pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of hit-and-run in juvenile court Wednesday.
The 15-year-old is now formally charged in the death of Gregory Moore, 53, last July.
Moore’s widow, Michelle Moore, attended Wednesday’s hearing in person.
“I just wanted to see her face,” said Michelle Moore.
Michelle Moore is pushing for the teenager to be tried as an adult. She fears that under current state law, even the harshest sentence would expire by the time the minor turns 21, should the teenager be convicted.
She doing this as she mourns the loss of her husband of 30 years.
“I’m feeling like she’s likely to get away with murder," said Michelle Moore. "If she serves, you know, less than six years, that’s getting away with it in my book. It makes me sick."
According to charging documents, the 15-year-old was turned into police by a family member. That family member told investigators the plan was only to scare the man, not kill him.
In a statement, prosecutors said the decision to try the teen as an adult is up to a juvenile court judge. They add that the facts of the case, as they see them, do not warrant a first-degree murder charge.
Michelle Moore is now on a mission to convince the courts otherwise.
“This wasn’t a mistake," said Michelle Moore. "This was murder with a vehicle."
