RELATED: Judge orders competency hearing for West Liberty shooting suspect
Serna has been accused of sneaking a shotgun into West-Liberty Salem High School on Jan. 20 and shooting 16-year-old Logan Cole twice. Authorities said Logan was shot in the chest and the side in one of the school's bathrooms. He is still recovering from the wounds.
Champaign County Juvenile Judge Lori Reisinger ordered a competency hearing last month at the request of the defense attorney. The competency hearing is to determine whether Serna can understand court proceedings and if he will be able to assist in his own defense.
Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi confirmed the new hearing date and said it’s about whether Serna is competent to stand trial. Talebi said he couldn’t release any further information at this time.
DETAILS: West Liberty suspect asked victim to shoot him, report says
The Springfield News-Sun filed a public records request to the Champaign County Family Court office, but didn’t hear back Friday afternoon.
Serna’s defense attorney Dennis Lieberman also confirmed the hearing date and declined to comment further. Serna remains in juvenile detention.
Logan’s father, Ryan Cole, previously said the teen is recovering, but high lead levels in his system gave doctors some concerns. He posted on Facebook this week that the family learned the levels had dropped slightly.
READ: Sister of alleged West Liberty shooter speaks, school to re-open
“We are very thankful for this drop (however small it is)!” Ryan Cole wrote. “We have an appointment with the toxicology doctor … to discuss treatment plans.”
Logan has returned to classes part-time since being shot.
The family again thanked people for showing support for Logan.
“Thank you so much for your prayers!” Ryan Cole wrote on Facebook. “It is impossible to communicate how grateful we are for God’s healing and how thankful we are for your prayers.”
Staying with the story
The Springfield News-Sun first broke the news of a shooting at West Liberty-Salem High School on Jan. 20 and has continued to dig into the story, including coverage of the community’s response and security changes at other schools after shootings.
About the Author