MOUNDSVILLE - A plea agreement is being negotiated in the criminal cases against Archie and Sabrina Stevey who are accused of child neglect in the Feb. 10 death of Chaz Lightner, Marshall County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Cramer said.
Cramer said this week he could not discuss the negotiations in detail, but did confirm they are in the works.
"Plea negotiations are ongoing in the Stevey cases," Cramer said. "In the past couple weeks I've sat down separately with Chaz's dad and mom for several hours discussing what dispositions they feel are fair."
The Ste-veys are to appear before Marshall County Circuit Judge Mark A. Karl at 2 p.m. Aug. 4.
During a recent hearing, Archie Stevey's attorney, Robert McCoid, advised the judge of a possibility of pleas in both cases, and that's why the judge continued the cases until the August date.
Cramer said it is too early to say whether the plea negotiations will be finalized by the Aug. 4 hearing.
Fact Box
OVER THE LIMIT
An autopsy revealed that Chaz Lightner had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.378, which is a fatal level. The legal limit is 0.08.
The Steveys are charged with child neglect resulting in death following the Feb. 10 death of 17-year-old Chaz Lightner of Moundsville.
Lightner died while at a party with friends at the Stevey residence in Marshall County - a party investigators said involved underage consumption of alcohol.
Cramer has received a copy of the post mortem examination of Lightner completed by Dr. Matrina Schmitt, chief deputy medical examiner for West Virginia.
A copy has been presented to the defense.
Attempts to contact Lightner's mother for comment on the plea negotiations were unsuccessful.