By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves denied a youthful offender application Dec. 16 for a Columbiana man indicted on a capital murder charge for the death of 18-year-old Haleigh Green of Shelby.

The ruling came after Reeves heard argument and testimony in a closed youthful offender hearing lasting nearly 30 minutes for 19-year-old Demarcus Means, who was charged with allegedly killing Green earlier this year.

“This is just the beginning of a very long process in this case,” Reeves said after the hearing, adding he anticipates another judge to take his position with the case following his retirement in early 2016.

Means’s application for youthful offender status was filed in Shelby County Circuit Court in September. If arraigned as a youthful offender, Means would have waived his right to a trial by jury, and a judge would have decided his guilt or innocence in the case, according to court documents.

Suspects found guilty in youthful offender cases fare a less-severe range of punishments.

The case will proceed to arraignment, Reeves said.

Reeves asked the defense how Means intends to plead. Means’s counsel said he would plead not guilty.

After discovery is completed, the case will be ready for trial, Reeves said.

“I ask for your patience as this process works its way through court,” Reeves said to those in the courtroom gallery on Dec. 16.

According to his indictment, Means allegedly “did on or about July 5, 2015, intentionally cause the death of another person … Haleigh Green, by or through the use of a deadly weapon … shooting her with a gun, which was fired or otherwise used within or from a vehicle.”

In August, a murder charge against Means was upgraded to capital murder, which carries the possibility of the death penalty upon conviction.

Motions for change of venue and appointing additional counsel for Means were filed in September.

A motion for change of venue filed Sept. 24 cited “extensive publicity” and media coverage of the crime as grounds for the change.

On Oct. 1, a motion to appoint additional counsel for Means was filed in circuit court.

Means is being held on no bond.