Transient Dies : 2 Boys Now Face Charge of Murder

The death of a severely beaten homeless man has prompted prosecutors to prepare a murder charge against two Burbank teen-agers already accused in the July 14 attack on the dead man and another transient, authorities said Thursday.

John M. Simpson, 33, died Wednesday night in Burbank Community Hospital, Burbank Police Lt. Duane Dow said.

The two 16-year-old boys, whose names have not been disclosed, were charged earlier this month with two counts of attempted murder in the beatings of Simpson and William L. Stahl, 44, in McCambridge Park.

Hearing Today

The boys are expected to be charged with murder at a hearing today in Pasadena Juvenile Court, Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Antoinette Brown said.

They will remain charged with one count of attempted murder in the beating of Stahl, who is comatose, in critical condition and on life-support systems at St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, she said.

Prosecutors also will enhance the attempted-murder charge against one of the boys, a move that could lead to an additional year of confinement if he is convicted, Brown said.

The enhancement stems from the determination that a bottle found at the scene was used by one boy to beat Stahl on the head as he was also slugged and kicked, Brown said.

“He personally used a deadly weapon,” Brown said. “It’s our belief it was the bottle.”

Boys Deny Charges

The boys denied the attempted-murder charges at a July 17 arraignment in Pasadena.

Authorities have speculated that revenge may have been the motive for the beatings. The boys reportedly told witnesses that they had randomly sought and beaten the transients because a homeless man recently chased and might have raped one of the youths’ female relatives, prosecutors said.

The district attorney’s office has sought to have the boys tried as adults. That question had been scheduled to be heard at today’s court appearance but probably will not come up until mid-August, Brown said.