Five teens plead not guilty to Kansas murder

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Five of six young suspects who are charged in the shooting death of a Kansas man pleaded not guilty yesterday in juvenile court to first-degree murder.

The six suspects are charged in the May 14 death of 19-year-old Marco Cardino of Smithville, Missouri. His body was found in a car parked in an Olathe, Kansas, park.

Three of the suspects who pleaded Monday are 14 and two are 13. A hearing for a sixth 14-year-old was also scheduled for Monday June 6th but was postponed to June 15.

Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe has filed motions to try the 14-year-olds as adults. Kansas law does not allow 13-year-old children to be tried as adults.

Howe has said the shooting stemmed from a marijuana deal that went bad but details of the shooting have not been released.