Waite basketball player appears in court on complicity to murder charge

1/26/2018

Carl Banks, Jr., appears in Lucas County Juvenile Court Friday, January 26, 2018. He was arrested at Waite High School Thursday morning on a charge of complicity to murder.

THE BLADE/ALLISON REAMER
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One of Waite High School’s top basketball players appeared before a Lucas County Juvenile Court judge Friday facing a complicity to murder charge connected to a man's West Toledo death.

Carl Banks, 18, appeared for a detention hearing in juvenile court before Judge Denise Navarre Cubbon. He will continue to be held in the juvenile jail.

Prosecutors said they will file a motion for certification for the teen to be tried as an adult. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 15. If probable cause is found, the case will then be transferred to the adult division.

Mr. Banks had been charged with aggravated robbery in Lucas County Juvenile Court for his role in the Nov. 18 shooting death of Jerry McNeal, 31. Additional evidence prompted a complicity to murder charge against Mr. Banks, who was 17 at the time of the incident, prosecutors said.

The City League's leading scorer, Mr. Banks was suspended by Toledo Public Schools after he was arrested in connection to a fatal shooting and suspected robbery in West Toledo.

Mr. Banks was arrested at school Thursday morning after prosecutors added the complicity to murder charge. He is being held in the Lucas County Juvenile Detention Center.

Two other adults are charged in connection to this incident.

James Moore, 19, and Eric Jones, Jr., are each charged with aggravated murder, murder, and aggravated robbery for the incident.

Contact Allison Reamer at areamer@theblade.com, 419-724-6506 or on Twitter @AllisonRBlade.