The 12-year-old brother of Leila Fowler, who is accused of fatally stabbing his 8-year-old sister in their California town, denied a second-degree murder charge in a juvenile court hearing on Wednesday.
Reuters reported Isaiah F., as he was referred to in court, denied murdering his sister before a judge at Calaveras County juvenile court and agreed to waive his right to a speedy trial. His potential sentence if he is convicted is incarceration at a juvenile detention center until he is 23-years-old.
The boy's parents were in attendance at the hearing.
Isaiah told authorities on April 27 that an intruder murdered his younger sister, Leila Fowler. His statement caused a massive manhunt in Valley Springs, California for two weeks while police searched for the alleged assailant.
Reportedly, officials did not uncover any signs of robbery, spending more than 2,000 hours investigating. Divers were brought in to search two nearby reservoirs for clues.
Authorities arrested Isaiah and he was charged with second-degree murder on May 15.
Mark Reichel, a defense lawyer for Isaiah said the boy denied the charge. Reichel and his team said they're planning a vigorous defense for his client.
"Our view of the case hasn't changed," Reichel told Reuters. "We got in believing our client was innocent, and as we stand here, that's what we believe."
The court judge set a July 31 hearing to schedule a date for a juvenile bench trial.
"We're concerned about whether or not a 12-year-old can actively participate in his own defense," Reichel told Reuters.
The defense had planned to ask the judge to release Isaiah to his family. Reichel told reporters that the couple has left their home and have no place to care for the boy.
Prosecutors reportedly declined immediate comment about the murder case after Wednesday's hearing.
