A judge has refused to lower bail for a teenager accused of shooting his former girlfriend five times in the head and critically injuring his mother before turning the gun on himself.
Joseph Oberhansley, who turns 18 at the end of this month, has been at the Salt Lake County Jail since he was released from the hospital in January after recovering from a gunshot wound to the head in December.Defense attorney Ron Yengich asked 3rd District Judge Ronald Nehring Thursday to reduce his bail from $1 million to $5,000. Yengich said his client's grandparents are willing to house him while he awaits a preliminary hearing, which was set for March 25.
Yengich also pointed to a mental evaluation conducted at the Salt Lake County Jail that outlined conditions that should be followed if Oberhansley was to be released.
"He has a place to go, he has people who support him," said Yengich, adding that he did not want his client to live with anyone else.
However, prosecutor Cy Castle pointed out that Oberhansley's mother and grandmother are expected to testify for the prosecution, and their interaction with Oberhansley may create a conflict. Castle also expressed concern that Oberhansley's family is paying for his defense.
"There's nothing that strikes me as being inappropriate about having a material witness finance the defense," Nehring said. However, "I fear the integrity of the process may be jeopardized if Mr. Oberhansley is entrusted to the custody of (his grandparents)."
The judge also pointed to the lack of input on whether Oberhansley has overcome his methamphetamine addiction and possible suicidal tendencies.
"This is a heinous murder," Nehring said. "If I were a citizen, I would be concerned about the freedom of the alleged perpetrator."
Oberhansley was charged with murder, a first-degree felony, and one count of attempted murder, a second-degree felony. Prosecutors say that on Dec. 9, Oberhansley showed up at his grandmother's house, 4755 W. Harman Drive (3700 South), with a mini-assault pistol. He then allegedly shot Sabrina Elder, 17, five times, his mother, Brenda Self, in the back, and himself once in the head.
Elder had delivered a son five days earlier, police said, and was living at the grandmother's home. Oberhansley apparently did not believe the child was his.