Friday Hearing, Rally Set For Teen Charged With Murder

Supporters of the Bel Air teen charged with shooting and killing his father in January 2012 are planning to rally on his behalf before his Friday morning court appearance.

Robert Conley Richardson III, 17, of the 800 block of Moores Mill Road is scheduled to be in court at 10:30 a.m. Friday for a criminal motions hearing, according to online court records. A suppression hearing was initially scheduled for 10 a.m. that morning, but has since been postponed, court records show.

Supporters of the teen are planning to rally at 9 a.m. outside the Harford County Circuit Courthouse.

"Robert's supporters continue to believe that, as a child, it would be appropriate for his case to be remanded to the juvenile court system," Eileen Siple, event organizer, wrote this week in an email to Patch.

More than 1,400 people were following the "Free Robert (Bob) Richardson III" Facebook page as of Thursday afternoon. The page has become a point of contact for those who allege both that the teen was a victim of ongoing abuse at the hands of his father and that he should not be tried as an adult.

The page contends that Richardson III was "driven to insanity" as a result of domestic abuse and that "friends and some family are coming forward with stories that they witnessed abuse, or unusual, unexplained marks, etc. Robert is innocent."

Richardson III is charged with first- and second-degree murder and use of a firearm in a felony or violent crime.

The teen allegedly admitted to shooting and killing his father then dumping the body in Aberdeen, a police spokesman told Patch the day of teen's arrest. He was 16 and student at C. Milton Wright High School at the time.

According to the Harford County State's Attorney's Office, under Maryland law a 16-year-old who is charged with first-degree murder is tried as an adult and cannot be returned to juvenile court.

See also:

• Trial Rescheduled For Teen Charged With Father's Murder
• Richardson Indicted on First Degree Murder Charges
• Facebook Page Supports Robert Richardson
• Teen Charged With Murder Had Run Away from Home Before
• Murder Charges Stand Against Bel Air Teen
• Hearing Set for Teen Charged with Murdering Father
• 'No Bail' For Bel Air Teen
• Bail Hearing Set For Teen Charged With Murder
• Teen Charged As Adult In Father's Murder
• Teen Could Face Charges In Father's Death