This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A West Valley teenager charged with killing his stepfather made his first court appearance Friday morning.
Rosco Dewayne Brackett, who turned 17 on Wednesday, has been charged as an adult with murdering 52-year-old James Michael George last week.
In 3rd District Court on Friday, Brackett was appointed a public defender. Another hearing was set for Oct. 19.
Brackett and George were arguing in a home near 3700 South and 6800 West, when Brackett grabbed a loaded handgun from the front room of the home and fired at his stepfather, according to charging documents. When the bullet went over George's head, Brackett allegedly fired again, hitting the man in the head. He then filed several more shots at the man on the ground, charges state.
George died the next morning in a hospital.
Brackett faces a felony charge of obstructing justice for allegedly hiding the gun and getting rid of his shirt.
Brackett is being held in the Salt Lake County jail, with bail set at $1 million.
Before the Sept. 13 shooting, Brackett had only one run-in with the law, according to juvenile court records released Wednesday.
Brackett was referred to a juvenile court May 2010 for shoplifting less than $299 worth of property.