An 18-year-old student was denied bail on Wednesday after he was accused of stabbing a classmate to death.
Andre Matthews is accused of killing Andrew Meismer after a fight between the two escalated during science class at Sterling High School in Baytown, according to court records. Investigators say the dispute began over a $21 vape pen Matthews believed was missing and Mesmer had taken.
During Wednesday’s hearing, Cory Scott, an investigator with the Goose Creek Police Department, testified that he saw “quite a bit” of blood on the floor and on the wall in the classroom on the day of the incident.
Wednesday’s hearing was also one of the first under a new state law in which prosecutors can request that a defendant be held without bond in a non-capital crime.
“This is brand new. It’s a constitutional amendment that we’ve talked about, giving prosecutors and the judiciary another tool in the toolbox to make sure people (who) don’t stay out,” Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said after Matthews’ hearing.
During the hearing, Matthews showed no visible emotion as prosecutors and defense attorneys argued that he should be eligible for bond. Mesmer’s family was in court.
Detective Scott also presented surveillance video from inside the school. While the video has not been released publicly, prosecutors described the footage as showing Matthews and Meissmer entering an empty science lab together. A few minutes later, a teacher’s aide was seen pushing Matthew out of the room.
Prosecutors told the judge that Matthews stabbed Meissmer inside the lab and argued that Matthews posed a continuing threat to the community.
“It took more than a minute to get this defendant from this victim,” a prosecutor said in court, adding that Matthews allegedly placed Meismer in a chokehold as he bled from his wounds.
The state also subpoenaed Matthews’ school disciplinary records, which prosecutors said showed an increasing pattern of behavior, including an earlier incident in which he allegedly brought a knife to school.
Judge Emily DeToto cited those school records as a major factor in her decision to deny bond.
“The school records are voluminous,” DA Tier said, “and they indicate a growing pattern of behavior.”
Matthews’ defense attorney, Gian Paolo Meserola, said he was not surprised by the decision, but argued that responsibility rested with the school district. He noted that Matthews was part of a special education program and said the district was aware of behavioral concerns but allowed him to continue attending school.
“There are obviously issues here,” Meserola said, adding that Matthews was raised by his sister, who is his legal guardian. He said that the investigation into the situation is ongoing.
District Attorney Tierre emphasized that the trial was not a determination of guilt or innocence. Instead, he said, the case focused narrowly on whether Matthews should be detained as it moves forward. The case has not yet been presented to a grand jury, and no trial date has been set.
“It’s brand new for everybody,” Teer said of the bond rejection process. “We don’t have a full time frame yet.”
Andrew Meismer’s family attended the hearing but declined to comment afterward.
The case remains in its early stages, and Matthews will be held without bond while the legal process continues.
related to:
A high school student has died after being stabbed by a classmate in Baytown, Goose Creek CISD says
Harris County DA’s Office Accepts Manslaughter Charges for Teen Accused in Classmate’s Stabbing: Officials
$3 million bond for student accused of stabbing friend at school, while school district remains silent
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