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Teen enters not guilty plea in murder case PDF Print E-mail
Written by Elizabeth Larson   
Saturday, 21 June 2008
CLEARLAKE – A teenage girl facing charges for the fatal stabbing of another girl entered a not guilty plea on Friday.


Gabrielle Rachel Varney, 18, appeared in Lake County Superior Court, according to her attorney, Stephen Carter.


“We entered her plea as not guilty,” Carter said.


Varney is charged with murder and a special allegation of using a deadly weapon – in this case a knife – in the death of 17-year-old Heather Valdez of Clearlake.


Valdez died June 5 after Varney allegedly stabbed her during a confrontation that happened when the teens got off the school bus near their homes, as Lake County News has reported. Both girls were juniors at Carlé Continuation High School.


The incident between the teenagers allegedly was the culmination of a months-long feud, Lt. Mike Hermann of Clearlake Police told Lake County News in a previous interview.


Hermann said Varney told police she hadn't intended to stab Valdez. Rather, she told police Valdez had started hitting her.


Varney allegedly had a folding pocket knife with a 4-inch blade that she had been carrying in her hand before the fight started, and which police later recovered at the home of a neighbor where she went to call for help.


An autopsy ruled that Valdez's death resulted from a stab wound to the neck, with the wound appearing consistent with the knife, Hermann said.


Carter said Varney will return to court July 18, at which time the date of her preliminary hearing will be set.


Varney remains in Lake County Jail, with bail set at $500,000, according to jail records.


For Carter, who began representing Varney a week and a half ago and is beginning his own in-depth study of the case, it's too early to know how long the case might take to get to trial.


If Varney is convicted, she'll face 25 years to life for the murder charge, said Carter, plus one year for the special allegation of using a deadly weapon.


E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .


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why is it ok to lie?????
written by petunia, June 21, 2008
"NOT GUILTY PLEA" I'm not getting this. Why is it ok to lie? Even attorney's and judges are ok with it. Why can't it be I did it but can't remember or lost my mind and was so blind with rage! We all know she did it so why is it ok to lie in court? How are our children supposed to learn to take responsability for their actions when they see US even lying in our "justice system"?? maybe the justice is not justice! How can anyone look Heather's mother in the eye's knowing that she will have to go throught her daughters death over and over again till the trial is done, with the fear that this girl may get off? I feel this girl deserves a fair and just trial. But when you start out on a lie it already makes it tainted!
If memory serves me ...
written by AnnieSmith, June 21, 2008
petunia,
In some cases the defendant is told by the PD or attorney to plead Not Guilty. This gives the defendant a chance to get a preliminary hearing and the judge will then state there is enough evidence for arraignment or eligibility for a jury trial. Now, if you are lucky and you are 18 years old or older, you may get a chance to be on a jury and vote-Guilty/Not Guilty. If the defendant pled Guilty right off the bat, well, the sentencing may not be debated and this person may face charges that could have been lessened. If most people, especially youth, read about how the process of arrest to sentencing works, there may be second thoughts about running on emotion and regretting the outcome of their actions. OR...commit the crime and find out first hand. In closing, I am very sad a child had to lose a life no matter what the reason.
...
written by petunia, June 21, 2008
Thanks Annie, basically what you are say is if she pleaded guilty she may get a lesser sentence??? Are you telling me that someone that plead guilty won't get a trial? When you plead guilty you give up your right to a trial? Would it then be up to just a judge for sentencing?(please forgive my ignorance about the law) Still makes no sense to me. It was murder! Witness's saw it, she had blood on her hands and her shirt and on the knife which she never dropped! she carried it to the house that the police found her at! How could you get a lesser sentence out of that? The way I see it 2 girls lost their lives one by happenstance and one by choice! It's so very very sad!
Yep.. that\'s the idea Petunia
written by chrizzy, June 21, 2008
If you plead guilty... there is no trial... get it??? If you plead guilty... what would be the purpose of a trial??? You plead guilty... you get sentenced... you do your time... end of story. It saves the court system a lot of time and money if you just fess up and plead guilty... if you are guilty! She will be scheduled to go to trial... and in the meantime her attorney might try to work out a plea agreement with the DA for a lesser sentence than a guilty verdict by jury might bring her. Everything in our court system is negotitable before trial...
...
written by petunia, June 21, 2008
What would be the purpose? uh so the sentence would be decided amoung her peers not a judge I guess I dunno thats why I was asking!so the idea of the not guilty plea just get's the lawyers and judges more money! Oh I get it. Hence her being advised to plea not guilty, again....... tainted! Nice justice system we've got! The not guilty plea is BS plain and simple
...
written by Magnum, June 22, 2008
It sounds like she is pleading Not Guilty to Murder. Murder 1 means it was premeditated. So maybe they are trying to get lesser charges such as Manslaughter. If she pleaded guilty to Murder than there is no plea bargain for lesser charges later.
...
written by Denmar39, June 22, 2008
Should have secuity electronics at all entrances to school to prevent weapons from being brought into the schools. :idea: :idea:
security at schools
written by happy kids, June 23, 2008
As a retired teacher, I agree that there MUST BE more security at schools. We don't want to face it, but we must. The government is just ignoring this because it will cost too much. How many more school deaths will it take? Yet, we have spent billions on airline security and checking 4 oz liquids, while our children are getting killed at or near schools all over the country. I've never written a post before, and I've never written my feelings on this, but I just had to. My heart aches for Heather's family, Gabrielle, and her family.

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Last Updated ( Saturday, 21 June 2008 )
 
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