Yuba City lawyer to represent 16-year-old in teen slaying case

Yuba City attorney Jesse Santana will represent the 16-year-old Colusa boy charged with murder in the shooting death of Miguel Muniz.

Armando G. Leon appeared briefly in Colusa County Superior Court on Wednesday morning with local attorney Tedd Mehr, who was standing in for Santana.

Leon, who is being tried as an adult, is scheduled to enter a plea on Nov. 14, at which time a preliminary hearing is expected to be set.

Just minutes prior to the case coming before him, Judge Jeffrey Thompson, through court personnel, ordered the Colusa County Sun-Herald not to take a photo of Leon.

Thompson had previously approved a request by the newspaper to have a camera in the courtroom specifically for that matter, but added specific instructions about Leon on Wednesday.

The judge explained later that information had been presented to him that raised trial concerns if Leon had his photo published.

Muniz, 14, was shot and killed near Third and Sioc streets on Aug. 23.

A second defendant, Pedro H. Herrera, 18, has been charged with murder in connection with the death. He is scheduled to enter a plea on Tuesday.