By Mary O’KEEFE

A California Supreme Court ruling upholds a state law barring 14-to-15 year olds from being tried as adults and sent to adult prisons. Due to that ruling in October the case of Michael Demirdjian was heard and he was resentenced in juvenile court.

In 2001, Demirdjian was charged with murdering and robbing two boys whose beaten bodies were found on the schoolyard of Valley View Elementary just prior to it opening as a public school. Demirdjian was 15 years old at the time of the murders.

Blaine Talmo Jr. was 14 years old at the time of his murder and Christopher McCulloch was 13. The murders were described as “gruesome” crimes. The boys died of blunt force trauma.

Demirdjian was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office argued against his resentencing; however, that was difficult due to the Supreme Court ruling.

“We cannot try him as an adult,” said DA David Ayvazian. “Juvenile Court is the only thing we have left.”

During the resentencing the judge took into consideration the amount of time served, Demirdjian’s prior history of arrest – or lack there of – and his behavior during his time of incarceration.

Demirdjian was ordered to live in a reentry management center (halfway house). He has a set of rules he must follow including obeying all of his probation requirements. He cannot leave the facility without permission of the administration and must wear a GPS monitor. These are just some of the initial conditions for his release.

He was given two years probation and DA Ayvazian and Demirdjian’s lawyer, Bess Stiffelman, will meet for an update on the case and his probation in December and again in April.

After the resentencing, Stiffelman told CVW that Demirdjian had attended college and had not joined any gangs while in prison.

“He did write a remorse letter,” she added.

Blaine’s parents were in court during the resentencing. They chose not to share a victim impact statement. They just stoically listened to the judge’s orders regarding probation.

“There is nothing more to say,” they told CVW after the resentencing.

Christopher’s mom Aileen Bristow no longer lives in the area. Ayvazian had kept her apprised of the situation.

“I wish with all my heart and soul that Mr. Demirdjian had shown the same consideration and mercy to my beloved son that he has been given. I pray he doesn’t waste this chance,” she said.

Although it had been expected Demirdjian would have been released from Juvenile Court in early December there are reports he has already been released to the reentry management center.