A judge rejected Cam’ron Cooper’s bid Thursday to get his case thrown out after he took a gun to Hammond Central in January 2023.
His lawyer James Thiros essentially argued the adult court didn’t have jurisdiction.
He said the Indiana General Assembly changed a law — effective in July 2024 — where a teen between the ages of 16 to 18 can no longer be automatically charged in adult court for Unlawful Carrying of a Handgun, like Cooper was.
Now 18, Cooper, of Dolton, Illinois, was 16 when charged.
If granted, Thiros argued the case would have to get kicked down to juvenile court. From there, it could be waived back to adult court.
Deputy Prosecutor John Holmen argued new laws aren’t retroactive.
Judge Gina Jones agreed, denying Thiros’ motion to dismiss.
“I get the premise behind it,” she said.
The next court date is March 21.
At the time, officials said Cooper was a School City of Hammond student, but didn’t go to Hammond Central.
An alert teacher spotted the teen around noon Jan. 31, 2023 coming in a side door.
He gave his backpack to another girl. School employees eventually confiscated it, finding the tan and black semi-automatic handgun inside with 30 rounds of ammunition and an attached laser pointer, charges allege.
The teen tried to hide from staff, but was caught by school security and taken to the office before police arrived.
