Thursday, 4:30 PM
Lincoln-Sudbury student pleads not guilty in slaying
By Brian MacQuarrie, Globe Staff
A baby-faced John Odgren pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder today in Middlesex Superior Court as a prosecutor described the violent stabbing death of a 15-year-old freshman at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School.
Odgren, a 16-year-old sophomore from Princeton, looked puzzled during the proceeding as his attorney, Jonathan Shapiro, asked the judge to transfer his client from jail to Westborough State Hospital so he could receive medication and psychiatric treatment. Odgren's condition has deteriorated, Shapiro said, and he has been on suicide watch for the last four or five days.
Judge Isaac Borenstein ordered that Odgren be sent to Westborough State for observation for 20 days.
Odgren was indicted last week on a first-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of James Alenson in a school bathroom Jan. 19. Daniel Bennett, an assistant Middlesex district attorney, described the death today in graphic detail in what he described as part of a history of violence.
"The defendant, John Odgren, did not know James Alenson, had not been teased by James Alenson, had not been shunned by James Alenson, did not even know his name," Bennett said.
Before the early morning attack, Odgren playe a violent video game in which characters kill each other, Bennett said. He then went to school with a knife.
Bennett said that Odgren slashed Alenson's throat before plunging a 5.5-inch knife through his ribs and then into his though the stomach.
A third student was in a bathroom stall and heard Alenson say, "What are you doing, you are hurting me," Bennett said.
As Alenson stumbled into the hallway, the third student emerged from the stall and Odgren said, "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," Bennett said. Odgren allegedly kneeled beside the dying Alenson and checked his pulse.
"I did it. I just snapped. I don't know why," Odgren allegedly told a teacher who ran to the scene, Bennett said.
Material from the Associated Press was included in this report.
