The Port Neches-Groves student who in April was arrested and accused of making terroristic threats to teachers and students there was indicted Wednesday.
According to the Grand Jury indictment, Triston Brantley Miller, 17, did, on April 13, “threaten to commit an offense involving violence to a person or property, namely: threats to kill the occupants of Port Neches-Groves High School…”
The charge of terroristic threat is a felony.
Miller’s attorney has said his client is not guilty.
Beaumont attorney Dustin Galmor, said Miller was talking about the Columbine school shooting near the anniversary of the event with other students and this was misinterpreted as a threat.
“Triston has seen a news video memorializing the event recently on the Internet,” Galmor said in a press release. “Triston brought up the topic and the other students discussed it with him. All of the students agreed that a person would have to be crazy to commit a crime as horrible as the Columbine shooting. At no point in the conversation did Triston or the other students threaten anyone.”
However, according to a sworn affidavit, Miller allegedly “talked to other students about shooting up the Port Neches-Groves High School on the anniversary of the Columbine School Schooling. … Miller went into detail about shooting students after lunch in a certain hallway because they would be trapped. … A month ago, Miller told another student he wanted to buy a gun. Miller told witnesses what teachers he wanted to kill first and what students he wanted to kill. Four students witnesse(d) Miller talking about shooting people at the school. … Miller tried to recruit two students to help him.”
The affidavit goes on to say that, when questioned, Miller denied making any threats. After Miller was arrested, he was released on a $100,000 bond.
The affidavit was written by Port Neches Detective Jesse Fournet based on an interview with a vice-principal at PN-G.
Miller does not yet have a court date, though Galmor said he expects the trial will be months away.