A judge has certified a Waseca teenager accused of planning to kill his family and attack his high school to stand trial as an adult.
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“Adult certification will serve public safety and meet the needs of the child for treatment and rehabilitation”, Waseca County District Court Judge Robert Birnbaum ruled in an order issued Friday.
La Due’s attorney, Dawn Johnson, did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
LaDue was found in April 2014 with bomb-making materials, guns and a detailed notebook that laid out his massacre plans.
In his findings of fact, Birnbaum noted expert testimony from a hearing in June that LaDue has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Authorities say he was plotting to kill his family and carry out an attack at his school.
LaDue was originally charged with four counts of attempted murder, two counts of attempted criminal damage to property and six counts of possession of an explosive device. He said LaDue showed deterioration in adolescence, becoming more isolated while his ability to deal with relationships and have empathy for other people deteriorated. If La Due remained in juvenile court as his defense attorneys asked, he could stay under the court’s jurisdiction only until his 21st birthday. He said the prosecution had not provided enough evidence to prove that LaDue’s actions went beyond “preparations”, the legal bar that has to be hurdled.
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LaDue faces a five-year sentence under state guidelines if convicted on all counts.
