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WEST JORDAN -- A judge refused to dismiss the case against two teens on trial for an alleged kidnapping and torture plot.
Relatives of one of the alleged victims sighed with relief and quietly cheered as the judge announced her rulings.
The judge denied several motions made by the defense, including the motion to dismiss the case against the 14- and 15-year-old teens.
The judge also denied a motion to suppress testimony from the older teen's mother and stepfather. They were the ones who eavesdropped on the phone conversation between the two boys back in March and then called police.
Defense attorneys argued the parents violated their son's privacy, but the judge disagreed.
The judge also denied throwing out the teens' statements to police, saying freedom of speech does not include entering into a conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping.
Thomas Burton, attorney for the 14-year-old, said, "Conspiracy is very slippery concept. There's been a lot of talk about abuse at the U.S. Supreme Court level about its abuses and how it expanded to kind of mean whatever you want it to mean, and that will be the danger in this case."
Burton expressed disappointment with the judge's rulings, but he says that doesn't mean the case has been decided.
He said, "It's easy to say this conversation was overheard and that someone can feel strongly about it. I still say the prospect of anyone doing this seriously is so far afield."
Prosecutors charged the teens with conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping. They say the teens planned to kidnap people who they believed were drains on society and put them through a series of torture tests based on the "Saw" horror movies.
Defense attorneys say the kids were just talking. They say they did not have the intent or the means to carry out the alleged plan.
The defense will present its case on June 11. Attorneys say they plan to revisit the teens' statements to police.
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Story compiled with contributions from Sandra Yi and Randall Jeppesen.
