By Kim Minugh
kminugh@sacbee.com
The Sacramento County District Attorney formally charged 12 suspects, eight of them under the age of 18, with murder today in the death of 15-year-old Aliyah Smith.
Gallery: 12 arraigned for murder of 15-year-old
During the highly emotional arraignments - in which the defendants appeared before Judge Ernest W. Sawtelle in waves - each suspect also was charged with a felony count of discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling.
The eight minors appeared in the juvenile hall uniform of white t-shirts and blue pants. However, they were charged as adults in connection with the Jan. 3 fatal shooting of Smith.
Six of the minors are females, and, appearing shackled to each other, several wept openly as Sawtelle read the charges.
The four adults wore the orange uniforms issued by the Sacramento County Main Jail. The three adult men appeared nervous and fidgety. The one female adult shook her head as she listened to Sawtelle.
Dozens of family members and friends attended the hearing in support of the suspects, some of them hugging and sobbing in the audience.
Smith's mother, Catrina Kilgore, also sat in the audience, crying quietly and dabbing her eyes.
The defendants are: Mary Adams, 15; Shavana Adams, 17 (16 at the time of the alleged crime); Marschell Brumfield Jr., 19; Marcel Bullard Jr., 18; Omar Davis, 17 (16 at the time); Talisha Harston, 16; D'Andre Monroe, 18; Tyrell Penney, 17 (16 at the time); Brielle Randell, 15; Natosha Rassberry, 16; Loren Searcey, 15; and Alison Williams, 18 (17 at the time).
Rassberry was appointed a public defender, who said he did not know enough about the case yet to comment.
The remaining defendants will be represented by attorneys, to be determined later, from the Conflict Criminal Defenders panel.
Call The Bee's Kim Minugh, (916) 321-1038.
Previous coverage:
8 minors to be tried as adults in January killing - Sept. 2, 2010
12 suspects -- 8 under 18 -- arrested in girl's fatal shooting - Sept. 1, 2010
Girl killed in south Sacramento an upbeat soul who didn't back down - Jan. 12, 2010
'Happy-go-lucky' girl killed after party fight - Jan. 4, 2010
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