West Liberty-Salem school shooting case pushed back to 2018

Ely Serna (left) and his attorney, Dennis Lieberman during arraignment proceedings in Champaign County Common Pleas Court. JEFF GUERINI/STAFF

Ely Serna (left) and his attorney, Dennis Lieberman during arraignment proceedings in Champaign County Common Pleas Court. JEFF GUERINI/STAFF

A hearing for the suspect accused in the West Liberty-Salem High School shooting has been pushed back again.

Ely Serna, now 18, isn’t scheduled to appear in Champaign County Common Pleas Court until the start of the year. A motion hearing was expected to take place Oct. 23, but the court has continued that hearing a couple of times now.

The alleged shooter is now due back in court on Jan. 3.

MORE: $1 million bond for Ely Serna, accused in West Liberty School shooting

Serna has been accused of bringing a shotgun to school and firing six shots. Another student, 17-year-old Logan Cole, was shot twice in the chest and survived.

Champaign County deputies have alleged Serna also shot at a teacher and then randomly shot at classrooms before he was detained by school staff members. Another student was grazed by a shotgun pellet but not injured.

READ: West Liberty suspect asked victim to shoot him, report says

Serna has been charged with several felonies — two counts of attempted murder, three counts of felonious assault, six counts of improperly discharging a firearm, and single counts of inducing panic and illegal conveyance of a deadly weapon in a school. He’s pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

The defense has filed motions to suppress evidence in the case and to move it back into juvenile court.

EXTRA: West Liberty school shooting suspect found competent for trial

In the motion to move the case back, defense attorney Dennis Lieberman argues proper procedure wasn’t followed before Champaign County Juvenile Judge Lori Reisinger ordered the transfer to adult court. Serna had waived his right to a probable cause hearing but did ask for an amenability hearing, according to the motion.

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