PORT ANGELES — The last day of testimony in a series of hearings concerning a teenager accused of killing her newborn son was delayed from a planned Thursday court session to a hearing in late May.
Lauryn Last, now 18, is accused of second-degree murder in the Dec. 31, 2008, death of her newly born full-term infant.
She allegedly incriminated herself in statements to police after waiving her rights to remain silent and to have an attorney present during police questioning.
Last, then 16, was charged as an adult Jan. 2, 2009, with first-degree murder, a charge later reduced to second-degree murder.
What she said to police in January 2009 has not been made public.
Her attorneys filed a motion to exclude those statements from her trial because, the attorneys said, she didn’t understand what waiving her rights meant, according to court documents.
During a series of continued hearings since November, Port Angeles police officers and expert witnesses have been testifying about whether Last understood the process.
Hearing set for May 26
The hearing is now scheduled for May 26 at 9 a.m. in Clallam County Superior Court.
The reason for the delay was not noted in court documents.
Last agreed Thursday to waive her right to a speedy trial.
The May hearing is expected to be the last day of testimony on the motion to exclude her statements to police, but a ruling won’t be issued until later.
Last’s trial, set for June 7, was postponed, pending Clallam County Superior Court Judge Ken Williams’ ruling on Last’s statements to police.
The maximum sentence for the second-degree murder charge is 18 years and four months.
Last’s child was fathered by a 37-year-old man who is now serving time in Colorado for sexual assault of Last as a child.
Last is living with a relative on her own recognizance.
