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Teen accused of attacking Eldorado High School teacher found competent to stand trial

Jonathan Martinez in court
Posted at 11:55 AM, Jul 29, 2022
and last updated 2022-07-29 23:23:33-04

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas teenager accused of attacking his high school teacher will stand trial for the charges against him, a judge ruled Friday.

After several delays, 16-year-old Jonathan Garcia Martinez had a hearing in Clark County District Court and was found mentally competent to stand trial. This comes after Martinez's lawyer requested an independent psychological evaluation.

He faces 15 felony charges for the April 7 attack, including attempted murder, sexual assault, and battery with intent to commit sexual assault.

An arrest report states Martinez choked his teacher with a computer charging cable, beat her and knocked a filing cabinet on top of her while she was unconscious. The teacher recalled Martinez saying "he had something like 'multiple personalities'" and that, although he "really liked" her, he "didn't like teachers" and was "getting revenge," according to the report.

READ: Teacher attacked by student wants to set record straight, says it wasn't about grades

The latest ruling means prosecutors can move forward with their case.