Even with a number of family members in the courtroom and a high score on the bail evaluation by Genesee Justice, 17-year-old Antwan Odom was ordered held on $50,000 bail or $100,000 bond by City Court Judge Robert Balbick on his attempted assault charge.
Odom is accused of stabbing Ray Leach with a sharp object at least 10 times during an argument over alleged stolen property at 135 Ross St., Batavia, on Friday afternoon.
Both Odom and Leach are star athletes at Batavia High School.
Odom appeared in City Court this afternoon dressed in a Genesee County Jail orange jumpsuit with his hands cuffed, represented by Michael Locicero from the Public Defenders Office.
Locicero argued that Odom should be released under the supervision of Genesee Justice with strict curfew requirements. Odom and Leach have been neighbors but Locicero said Odom could live at his sister's house, well away from the Ross Street neighborhood, while the case is pending.
When Odom appeared in City Court the evening of his arrest, his bail was set at $15,000 cash or $30,000 bond by Judge Durin Rogers.
First Assistant District Attorney Melissa Cianfrini was consulted by phone that evening on a bail recommendation. She said that at the time she was not given the defendant's name nor had she seen news coverage about the case. She was only told at the time that the defendant had no prior criminal history, meaning no convictions. She did not know that Odom has a pending felony DWI case in the Town of Sweden.
It's a felony because he was allegedly driving drunk with an individual or individuals under the age of 16 in his vehicle. He was also charged with a misdemeanor count of driving while under the influence of drugs. He was arrested by SUNY Brockport PD on April 8.
Balbick said he had to weigh and balance all of those factors, including Odom's family support when considering bail and determining whether Odom is a flight risk.
The bail evaluation by Genesee Justice -- Odom scored a 16 -- doesn't take into account the seriousness of the offense, both Cianfrini and Balbick noted, and that combined with the other pending felony must be considered, he said.
"Those factors make it imperative that bail be set in this matter," Balbick said. "A bail of $15,000 and $30,000 A and B is woefully inadequate."
Odom and Leach have been teammates on Batavia's football and basketball teams (Odom has not played baseball in high school, as previously reported). In basketball, Odom is one of the Blue Devils' top scorers.
Leach has been named to the All-Greater Rochester first teams each of the past two seasons. He gained 1,563 all-purpose yards and scored 18 touchdowns in 2017. On Oct. 14, Leach scored six touchdowns, a school record. He ran the ball in five times and scored on a 22-yard interception as Batavia beat St. Mary's 69-20, setting a new school record for points in a game.
According to Leach's mother, as reported by our news partner 13WHAM, Leach is at home, able to walking and recovering. His stitches should come out in seven to 10 days. He expects to be ready for practice when pre-season drills begin.
Odom's father told 13WHAM that Odom doesn't remember stabbing Leach. He said his son didn't have a weapon and that he suffered a concussion in the fight.
