Teens accused of cab attack get a big detention

THREE TEENS awaiting trial on charges that they attacked a cabbie and his passenger in Center City last month were denied release from the Youth Study Center by a judge yesterday.

The trio, charged with aggravated assault and related offenses, allegedly attacked the victims at 15th and Chestnut streets about 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 28.

The prosecutor was granted a continuance for more time to interview witnesses and review video surveillance and police-radio tapes.

Defense attorneys for the three youths asked that their clients be released from the Youth Study Center, noting that they had no prior contact with the law and had family members present in court.

Lawyer Bert Elmore said that his 10th-grade client is in his school's ROTC program, runs track and is in a college-prep course. He said that one of the boy's sisters is married to a cop and another sister is a prison guard.

"My client needs to be home and back in school," Elmore said. "This attack has been unfairly blown out of proportion."

Judge Kevin Dougherty denied the requests.