Emotional preliminary hearing for teen charged in murder of 5-year-old Prince McCree

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The family of 5-year-old Prince McCree sat in a juvenile court racked with emotions Monday, hearing how both 15-year-old Erik Mendoza and 27-year-old David Pietura allegedly killed their little boy last fall.

During Monday's hearing, Erik Mendoza appeared in person with long, black shaggy hair and a surgical mask covering his face.

We are not showing his face at the request of the court, because he is a juvenile, although the court has approved naming him.

At the preliminary hearing, the state called five witnesses to the stand to talk about their interaction with both Pietura and Mendoza during the investigation.

The witnesses, many of whom are detectives or officers with the Milwaukee Police Department, were questioned by both the prosecution and defense about what they say led to McCree’s death.

"As they're beginning to bind PRM (Prince McCree) with the duct tape that he's describing in the first interview, PRM began to whimper, at which Mr. Mendoza stated that 'we need to shut him up,'" said MPD Detective Daniel O'Connell. "After that, Mr. Pietura began to strike PRM several times in the head of the closed fist,"

Mendoza's attorney did ask the judge for a reverse waiver, so Mendoza can be charged as a juvenile and not an adult.

A status hearing for Mendoza has been set for March 28.