Judge delays competency hearing for teen suspect

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- At a status hearing held Monday afternoon the judge in the Grace Ross case decided to vacate the competency hearing scheduled for next month - instead switching it to a status hearing. The judge ruled back in March that the decision to move the juvenile to adult court would be based off of psychological evaluation test results.

The switch happening after the defense attorney requested more time to complete those tests.

“I want to make sure he spends the rest of his life in prison you know that’s what I’m here for. He took a little girl’s life there was no reason for that," said Don Ross, Grace's grandfather.

Don was not present at the initial hearing held back in March, but appeared in court on Monday with several other family members to learn whether or not the teen accused of killing his granddaughter would be tried as an adult.

“Today is going back over the records on what can and can’t be talked about you know cause there had to be something that led up to this," said Ross.

Council from the South Bend Tribune was also present in court to argue in favor of keeping future court proceedings open - citing it would be a violation of first amendment rights to observe and report if closed off to the public.

“It’s like anybody else’s kid out there. It could be anybody you know. I just don’t want to see it happen to another person," said Ross.

The status hearing will be held on May 13th at 8:30 a.m.