This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A teenager accused of pulling the trigger in the gang-related shooting of 18-year-old JoJo Lee Brandstatt at a West Valley City golf course nearly three years ago will stand trial for the crime as an adult in district court, a juvenile court judge has ruled for the second time.
The case of 17-year-old Antonie "Hunter" Farani was remanded to the juvenile court system in December so a judge could reconsider his 2009 decision to certify the teen as an adult, following a ruling from the Utah Court of Appeals.
The appeals court said 3rd District Juvenile Court Judge Andrew Valdez had relied on a juvenile probation department report containing information considered inadmissible hearsay.
But a second decision by Valdez, issued Jan. 25, states that even without considering the probation report, testimony offered at Farani's 2009 certification hearings warranted the case being moved from juvenile to district court.
"The court finds that the serious nature of the offenses and protection of the community requires isolation and jurisdiction beyond that afforded by the juvenile justice system," Valdez wrote in his recent order.
"The life of an 18-year-old was taken in a violent and premeditated killing. The interest of the community will not be served to retain Antonie Hunter Farani in a juvenile system for the short period of time mandated by law. It would be contrary to the best interest of the public for the juvenile court to retain jurisdiction."
Farani — charged with aggravated murder, two counts of aggravated kidnapping and five counts of aggravated robbery, all first-degree felonies — was 14 years old when he allegedly killed Brandstatt the night of Feb. 6, 2009.
Farani was with three older gang members who also kidnapped another man, Gregory Brown, now 22.
Brown claims he was told by the group that if he was able to get $2,000 by the end of the night through robberies, they wouldn't kill him. Brown said he called Brandstatt, who agreed to meet the group with the address of a gang member they could rob.
When Brandstatt arrived, he was wearing a red T-shirt and red shoelaces, indicating a connection to Norteño gang members. Farani allegedly said, "Let's just finish off this Norte."
The group drove to a West Valley City golf course, where Farani allegedly shot and killed Brandstatt. Afterward, the group then forced Brown to rob three convenience stores with a pellet gun.
Police say Farani confessed to the crime during a videotaped interview with West Valley City police, according to prior court testimony. The teen said he was high on marijuana and pressured to pull the trigger by 20-year-old Spencer Isaiah Cater, who allegedly believed the victim "knew too much."
All four were arrested, and two of them — 29-year-old Jeremiah "Jay" Ha'k Williamson and 22-year-old Shardise "Kaiso" Malaga — have since pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. Cater was convicted at trial in December on aggravated kidnapping and robbery charges, but was acquitted for murder.
Cater is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 23.
Farani's attorneys had argued he belongs in juvenile court, where a maximum sentence for his crime would have resulted in being placed in juvenile detention until age 21.
Following Valdez's decision, Farani's case will again be sent back to 3rd District Court Judge William Barrett.
Twitter: @mrogers_trib —
The case in review
In addition to accused triggerman Antonie "Hunter" Farani, three others were charged in connection with JoJo Lee Brandstatt's murder: Shardise "Kaiso" Malaga, 22; Spencer Isaiah Cater, 20; and Jeremiah "Jay" Ha'k Williamson, 29. Police say Farani, who was barely 14 the day of Brandstatt's murder, told them he was high on marijuana and pressured to pull the trigger by Cater, who allegedly believed the victim "knew too much." Gregory Brown, now 22, has testified Brandstatt was targeted in part because he wore red and claimed allegiance to a Norteño gang, a rival of the defendants' Crips gang. Brown said he was kidnapped by the four defendants when he met them at a Wendy's restaurant in West Valley City to trade marijuana for a gun. The group robbed him and said if Brown was able to get $2,000 by the end of the night through robberies, they wouldn't kill him, he told the court. According to Brown, he called Brandstatt, who agreed to meet up with the group at Kearns Junior High School with the address of a gang member to rob, he said. When he arrived in a red T-shirt and red shoelaces, Brown testified Farani said, "Let's just finish off this Norte." The defendants drove to the golf course where Brandstatt was shot, then allegedly coerced Brown into using a pellet gun to rob three convenience stores. Defense attorneys have argued Brown was a willing participant and not a victim.