Teen charged as adult for alleged involvement in violent beating of a man in Chehalis 

One of the three juveniles charged for their alleged involvement in the violent beating of a man in Chehalis on March 1 has had his case elevated from juvenile court to adult court. 

Aiden Riley Smith, 16, of Centralia, was charged Monday, March 24, in Lewis County Superior Court with one count of first-degree assault with accomplice liability, meaning he allegedly “acted as the principal and/or as an accomplice of another person in commission of the crime,” according to court documents. 

The charges additionally allege that Smith’s “conduct during the commission of the current offense manifested deliberate cruelty to the victim.” 

“The video of this incident is horrendous. The injuries are highly concerning,” Deputy Prosecutor Brandi Archer said during Smith’s preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday, March 24. 

Smith’s bail was set Monday at $1 million, the same as was set for his co-defendant in adult court, 19-year-old Jamal George West. 

Up until Monday, Smith had been in custody at the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center without bail since his arrest on March 1. 

Defense attorney Rachael Tiller had asked for Smith’s bail to be set no higher than $200,000 due to his young age and financial inability to post any bail. 

“Mr. Smith is 16 years of age. He’s a kid and he has no means to post. He’s a student when he’s out of custody,” Tiller said during Smith’s preliminary hearing on Monday. 

While Judge Paul Strophy acknowledged Smith’s young age and noted that West is also relatively young, he said that he believed the requested $1 million bail was appropriate due to “significant community safety concerns” and concerns about the alleged references to gang involvement. 

Smith’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, April 3. 

West pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree assault on March 13. His trial is scheduled to begin May 5. 

Lewis County Jail records indicate West was still in custody on $1 million bail as of Monday afternoon. 

While Smith’s case is being handled in adult court, Smith will remain at the Lewis County Juvenile Detention Center rather than the adult Lewis County Jail facility until further notice. 

Smith, West, two juvenile subjects and one additional subject whose age has not been disclosed are accused of attacking the victim while he was walking by them in the 300 block of Southwest Third Street on March 1, according to previous Chronicle reporting. 

Video of the incident reportedly shows the suspects “taking multiple roles in the attack to include kicking/stomping on his head, strangling him, punching him in the face and body, and dropping (a) retaining wall brick over his head,” according to the affidavit of probable cause. 

In surveillance footage of the attack, the suspects can also reportedly be heard threatening to kill the suspect and making statements regarding a gang.

The victim was transported to Capital Medical Center for treatment of multiple lacerations, an orbital hemorrhage, broken teeth and strangulation, according to court documents.

The cases for the other two juveniles were still being handled in Lewis County Juvenile Court as of Monday afternoon. Juvenile court records are not public record in Washington state.

A warrant for the arrest of a fifth suspect, who has not been publicly identified, has been issued, according to previous Chronicle reporting.