Raul "Lito" Valle, the 16-year-old accused of fatally stabbing Fairfield Prep student James "Jimmy" McGrath and stabbing three other teenagers at a party earlier this month, has been released after posting bail.
Valle appeared in Milford court on Monday morning when a judge set his bail at $2 million, which he paid at 3:30 p.m. Valle came before Judge Peter Brown in his first public court appearance since his case was transferred to adult court, where he was rejected his attorney's plea to modify his bond, according to court authorities.
Raul Valle Released on $2 Million Bond
His bail was subject to rigorous terms imposed by the judge. According to Valle's defense counsel Jake Donovan, the teen will be under 24-hour lockdown at his mother's house, will be compelled to wear a GPS monitor, and will not be able to have contact with any of the victims or anybody involved in the event.
Valle and pals from St. Joseph's High School in Trumbull, according to a warrant for his arrest, came at a party of more than 50 teenagers at a residence on Laurel G. According to the warrant for Valle's arrest that was released last week, witnesses told police that Valle stabbed McGrath once with a knife that looked like a switchblade.
The warrant stated that McGrath died of a stab wound to the chest that punctured his heart. Three more teenagers were hurt in the brawl in the front yard, with several sustaining serious stab wounds, Hartford Courant via MSN reported.
On Friday, hundreds of people crowded St. Theresa's Catholic Church in Trumbull for McGrath's poignant funeral. A constant flow of McGrath's classmates and teammates marched after the casket, reaching out to console one another while the teen's family, Maggie and Kevin, and sister Rosie, clasped hands tightly.
Valle was caught and charged as a minor last week. When he appeared before a judge in Derby on Thursday, his case was forwarded to adult court.
According to court and Department of Correction records, he was being detained at the Manson Youth Institute in Cheshire on charges of murder and three counts of first-degree assault. Valle is set to appear in Milford Court Part A on July 15, where severe offences are heard.
Lacrosse Star James McGrath's Death
Per Daily Mail, a group of teens from Shelton High School came late at night, and a fight broke out between groups from the two schools. After the brawl ended, the Shelton High students headed for another home party on Laurel Glen Drive, where Valle and his pals joined them.
A battle broke out on the front yard when Valle and his group were urged to leave, and many individuals were stabbed. According to the warrant, once the fight finished, Valle got up and walked to his car while McGrath stood nearby but did not pursue him.
McGrath was stabbed in the chest and brought to a nearby hospital, where he eventually died. According to his obituary, the 17-year-old, better known by his peers as Jimmy, was a great lacrosse star for private school Fairfield.
According to the warrant, some of the Shelton students proceeded to another house party on Laurel Glen Drive after the altercation, but the two groups kept "bad-mouthing" one other in a group chat.
Valle and several other kids then went to the Laurel Glen Drive residence, approximately a mile distant, when another fight broke out on the lawn. According to authorities, many teenagers were stabbed during the incident.
McGrath was not identified in the warrant as recognizing Valle or the group he was with. McGrath, a football and lacrosse player at Fairfield Prep, was honored by both teams before Prep's game against Shelton High on Wednesday night. On Friday, he was laid to rest, as per Connecticut Post.
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