Teen attends hearing on assault charges

A Tulsa County District Court judge hears testimony which could decide where a teenage killer serves the rest his sentence.<br/><br/> If the judge rules against him, the 17-year old could finish serving

Thursday, September 29th 2005, 6:47 am

By: News On 6

A Tulsa County District Court judge hears testimony which could decide where a teenage killer serves the rest his sentence.

If the judge rules against him, the 17-year old could finish serving his time in adult prison.

6 in the Morning reporter Omar Villafranca says Daniel Dillingham is serving time at the Rader Juvenile Detention Center for stabbing and killing a student on a Porter school bus in 2003. He "can" be moved to adult prison if he breaks certain rules at the center. Now, a corrections officer at Rader has testified Dillingham assaulted him earlier this year. Jason Cooley told the judge he was watching Dillingham and another inmate during their recreation time. Dillingham fell in some mud and wiped it on the officer. Cooley also says Dillingham kneed him in the stomach. The teenager was subdued, but Cooley says he let him go and filed a report.

The officer says Dillingham later walked by the office and slapped him on the face. When another officer came over to get Dillingham under control, Cooley says the teenager started throwing punches and said --quote-- "I'm going to stab you". Cooley says he didn't suffer any injuries from the confrontation. He also quit working at Rader last month.

This isn't the first time charges have been made about Dillingham's behavior at the center. He was accused of stabbing a Rader inmate last year, but that charge was dismissed.

Dillingham will learn if he'll serve the rest of his sentence in adult jail on December 16th.