DENVER — The attorney for one of three teens accused of killing 20-year-old Alexa Bartell by throwing a rock into her vehicle challenged his client's $2 million bail, and the Colorado Court of Appeals last week dismissed the challenge without comment.
Martin Stuart, the attorney representing Joseph Koenig, filed a petition July 19 asking the appeals court to review the Jefferson County District Court judge's order setting bail. On Thursday, the appeals court issued an order saying it had reviewed the petition and dismissed it.
First-degree murder suspects in Colorado are now entitled to bail because of a decision in June by the state Supreme Court. Judges in many cases have set bail in the millions of dollars, making it nearly impossible for defendants to get out of a jail.
Stuart said in his petition that the District Court judge decided on a bail amount in a "charged emotional environment" after hearing from upset community members and the parents of Bartell during Koenig's bond hearing. People who spoke said Koenig "did not deserve bond" and "should be sitting on death row" and never allowed a "breath of freedom," according to the petition.
> The video above aired July 27: Attorney for teen accused in rock-throwing death case is challenging client's $2 million bail
Along with Koenig, the suspects charged with murder in Bartell's death are Nicholas "Mitch" Karol-Chik and Zachary Kwak. All three were 18 years old when they were arrested and are in jail on $2 million bail. They're accused of killing Bartell by throwing a rock into her vehicle.
Bartell was killed as she drove home on Indiana Street near the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge on April 19. At the time, she was on the phone with a friend and the line went silent. Bartell's friend tracked down her phone and drove to the location on Indiana Street to find Bartell dead inside of her car, which was off the roadway in a field.
On that same night, numerous other drivers reported that their vehicles were also struck by large rocks.
All three suspects are next due in court Sept. 8 for a preliminary hearing.
More 9NEWS coverage of the case of Alexa Bartell's murder:
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