Two Valley families are left dealing with a tragedy after the deadly stabbing that killed 15-year-old Jalen Reeves in November. The teen who allegedly stabbed Jaylen was 14-year-old at the same time.
Six months later, the Maricopa County Attorney declined filing charges in the teen's death.
ABC15 sat down exclusively with both Jaylen's family and the attorneys representing the other teen.
David Cantor and Christine Whalin, with DM Cantor, said their client acted in self-defense.
ABC15 is not naming the 14-year-old teen, who is a juvenile and not facing criminal charges.
"Everybody involved in this case wishes that night would have never happened," said Cantor.
He and Whalin described their client as a "good kid".
"This incident was not indicative of him, but he had to," said Whalin.
This week ABC15 obtained a Phoenix Police report, which detailed the incident near 40th Street and Chandler Boulevard from November.
It says Jaylen’s group was in a stolen car and pulled up to a different group smoking marijuana.
Multiple people allege Jaylen’s group took a vape and sped off before returning to the area.
Some who knew Jaylen described what happened next as a “fight”.
"It's absolutely an attack," said Cantor.
They told ABC15 their client was punched in the face which split his lips.
"He had a mouth, handful of blood from his mouth and took off running; And he got chased," said Cantor. "Then he got chased a second time, got attacked, and was being forced towards the lake where they said they were going to drown him."
The report said multiple people in the 14-year-old's group were hit or ran.
Jaylen was stabbed six times.
Watch ABC15's coverage on the deadly stabbing in the player above.
Cantor and Whalin pointed out their client's small stature, providing photos as well.
The teen's attorneys said their client was "terrified for his life".
"He was swinging, fighting, and he had a knife," said Cantor. "And he was justified defending himself."
The two provided ABC15 with what's known as a Trebus letter, which was also given to Phoenix police. It details what happened that early November morning from their client's point of view.
The Phoenix police report said the department had submitted the case, with a recommended second-degree murder charge, to The Maricopa County Attorney's Office. But MCAO decided not to file charges related to Jaylen's death.
"We did not feel like we had a reasonable likelihood of conviction," said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell recently at a press conference.
"We miss him," sad Rena Reeves. "Our family misses him so much"
ABC15 sat down with Jaylen's mom earlier this week.
Watch Rena's sit down with ABC15's Ford Hatchett in the player below:
"He was stabbed six times," said Rena. "The majority in the back. No, I don’t think that’s self-defense at all."
ABC15 asked the other teen's attorneys about Rena's stance.
"Those words drowned him, drowned him in the lake, is what he heard while this happened," said Whalin talking about her client. "It was absolutely justified. I appreciate her position as a mother. However, it was justified in what our client did."
ABC15 also asked about a portion of the report that said the then 14-year-old went back to a friends' home, "calmed down, they ordered food, watched a movie, and went to bed."
"He went home and was terrified," said Cantor. "The other young boy who was with him said he had to calm him down and watch a film to get him calmed down so he could talk about what happened."
He said his client was "traumatized" and the teen told his mom after he woke up.
"But keep in mind, this is a 14-year-old boy whose brain is not developed," said Cantor. "He's prepubescent, and he weighs less than 100 pounds, so he was terrified. He literally, not only had to fight for his life; he ended up stabbing somebody."
The letter from the teen's attorneys said his mom and their office tried to contact police later that same day.
Jaylen's family told ABC15 they still want justice.
But regardless of the legal outcome, nothing will change what happened in November.
"From a legal standpoint, yes, they're not going to file charges," said Cantor. "But that doesn't change the fact that a mother lost her son and that another son is going to be traumatized for the rest of his life."
ABC15 is working to follow up on if there were any charges ever submitted regarding the stolen car mentioned in the report.
