THE ISSUE
âIf the attorney for the 14-year-old Manheim Township girl charged as an adult in the stabbing death of her older sister tries to have her case moved to juvenile court, he will face an almost impossible task,â LNP | LancasterOnlineâs Dan Nephin reported in Sundayâs edition. âA review of LNP | LancasterOnline archives going back five decades found only one case in more than a dozen in which an attorney persuaded a judge that a minor charged with homicide should be handled in juvenile court.â And, Nephin noted, the facts of that one âcase differ from the accusations Claire Miller is facing.â That 1999 case involved an Elizabethtown 14-year-old who gave birth and was accused of smothering the infant and placing it in a drawer; a deal was reached with prosecutors. Attorney Robert Beyer, who represented that teen, also represents Claire Miller.
If the attorney for the 14-year-old Manheim Township girl charged as an adult in the stabbing death of her older sister tries to have her case moved to juvenile court, he will face an almost impossible task.
A review of LNP | LancasterOnline archives going back five decades found only one case in more than a dozen in which an attorney persuaded a judge that a minor charged with homicide should be handled in juvenile court.
The facts of that case differ from the accusations Claire Miller is facing.
In April 1999, Elizabethtown 14-year-old Nicole Boyer gave birth and was accused of smothering the infant and placing it in a drawer. Prosecutors sought a first-degree murder charge.
Analysis: Lancaser County teens accused of homicide almost always tried in adult court lancasteronline.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from lancasteronline.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Who is Claire Miller?
The Grade 9 student studied at Lancaster County Day School and lives in Manheim Township. According to Penn Live, her home is owned by an Irrevocable Trust set up in Helen Miller s name by her parents. It was purchased in 2005 for $495,000.
Court records show that Claire reportedly had suicidial and homicidal thoughts . That comes from a witness who claims to have talked to Claire over the phone. Claire s sister Helen reportedly has cerebral palsy, and is wheelchair bound. The coroner has confimed her cause of death as multiple stab wounds .
According to Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office: Officers and EMS personnel attempted lifesaving measures, but they were unsuccessful. Information obtained so far determined that the incident happened during the overnight hours when the girls’ parents were asleep. Miller will be arraigned by Magisterial District Judge David Miller. It is expected that Miller will be transported to Lancaster County Pris