The Waseca teen accused of plotting a massacre at the local school will undergo a revised study to see whether he should be certified as an adult in court.
John LaDue, who was 17 at the time of his arrest last year, was scheduled for an adult certification hearing on Wednesday, but that was postponed to June 30 after both the defense and prosecutor agreed to let experts update their study of him first.
A judge dismissed the most serious charges against LaDue – attempted murder and attempted property damage – after seeing no evidence that he had "made a substantial step beyond mere preparation" toward committing the crimes. The judge let stand six lesser charges that LaDue was in possession of explosive devices.
Under the remaining charges, being convicted in juvenile court instead of adult court could mean the difference between having a felony on his record and he could face less severe penalties, with options focused more on rehabilitation rather than punishment.
LaDue was caught April 29, 2014, when a citizen reported a suspicious teen going into a storage unit. When police officers arrived at the unit, they found bomb-making materials and LaDue told them of a plan to kill his family, set a distraction for police, then attack his school with bombs and guns.
Now 18, LaDue remains at a juvenile facility in Willmar. His parents have stood by him, saying they believe he never would have actually carried out the plan.
