The three suspects charged in connection with stabbing two men at a Mesa neighborhood party are scheduled to attend a hearing on Monday to discuss preliminary hearing setting and one suspect’s request to deploy with his military unit.
Sean Crane, Michael Hardy and Eddie Mesa Jr., all in their early 20s, have been charged in connection with the attacks that sent two men to the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries.
Crane has been charged with attempted murder and use of a deadly weapon on the 40-year-old victim, who spent 16 days in the hospital. Hardy is charged with assault with a deadly weapon on the younger victim and special allegations of causing great bodily injury and a parole violation.
Mesa is charged with accessory after the fact connected to Crane’s attempted-murder charge. The two men both graduated from Dos Pueblos High School in 2006.
In court on Thursday, the men’s defense attorneys asked for a hearing on Monday to further discuss the case before the June 11-12 preliminary hearings.
Doug Hays, who is representing Crane, said there is new material coming to light that could help resolve some parts of the case.
Defense attorney Bob Sanger, representing Mesa, said his client’s Marines unit is scheduled to deploy soon and Mesa would like to leave with it. There is no allegation that Mesa was involved in the fight itself, he noted, and has already been released on bail while the other two co-defendants remain in custody at the County Jail.
Authorities are still interviewing witnesses to the stabbings, so public defender Jeff Chambliss asked the judge to prohibit any photographs or video taken of Hardy, his client.
All three men have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ali Neuffer.
— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.