More than two years after her 17-year-old son was fatally stabbed, a Sycamore mother says she is still waiting for justice. The case, which led to a guilty verdict earlier this year, is back in DeKalb County court this week as a judge weighs a defense request that could move the case into juvenile court. What happens next could decide whether the defendant faces adult prison time or juvenile penalties.
Heather Gerken told FOX 32 Chicago that her son, Kaleb McCall, agreed to meet another teen for what he thought would be a fist fight, and that the other teen pulled a knife and stabbed him in the chest. Gerken said the drawn-out court process has made it hard for the family to grieve, and she fears a transfer to juvenile court would weaken any sense of accountability. She remembered Kaleb as "everybody’s big brother," someone who loved being outdoors and whose smile drew people in.
Verdict And Who Faces Sentencing
In February, a DeKalb County jury found a teenager guilty of second-degree murder, armed violence and aggravated battery in the Sept. 7, 2023, killing of McCall, according to the Daily Chronicle. Prosecutors say 15-year-old Hamza Khatatbeh stabbed McCall outside the Old National Bank in downtown Sycamore, and Khatatbeh has since been tried as an adult. The paper reported that a pre-sentencing hearing was set for March 30 and that sentencing was tentatively scheduled for this Thursday.
Trial Evidence And Testimony
During the three-day trial, jurors watched video and heard several witness accounts of the parking-lot confrontation, and Khatatbeh took the stand to testify that he used a pocketknife because he feared for his safety, according to WIFR. Prosecutors argued that the defendant brought a knife to what was supposed to be a fight and that McCall was unarmed when he was stabbed. After weighing the self-defense claim, jurors convicted Khatatbeh on the lesser included offense of second-degree murder.
Legal Stakes
Second-degree murder in Illinois is a Class 1 felony with a sentencing range generally cited at roughly four to 20 years, as outlined in the state's criminal code and related appellate decisions (see the Illinois Criminal Code). Being tried and sentenced as an adult exposes a defendant to those penalties. A successful move into juvenile court would shift the case into a system that applies juvenile procedures and sentencing frameworks, which focus more on juvenile confinement and rehabilitation. Defense lawyers argue that the defendant's age and circumstances justify juvenile handling, while prosecutors and McCall's family say adult-level accountability is the right outcome.
What To Watch This Week
The case is scheduled to return to court this Thursday morning, when judges will consider the defense request to move the proceedings into juvenile court, according to the Daily Chronicle. If the judge denies the motion, sentencing could go forward under adult criminal statutes. If the judge grants it, the courtroom process and potential penalties would shift under juvenile rules, the Daily Chronicle reports. We will be watching the hearing and following up on any key developments.
