2 Teens Face Trial as Adults in Drive-By Shooting Case

LAGUNA NIGUEL — A Municipal Court judge Tuesday ordered two teen-agers to stand trial on attempted murder charges for their alleged roles in the drive-by shooting of an El Toro High School student in November.

Lee Yu and William Taboy of Lake Forest are being tried as adults in connection with the Nov. 4 shooting of Philip Lott, 17, of Lake Forest. Authorities contend Yu was the triggerman.

Also arrested were two teen-agers, one of whom has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. The trial of the last suspect on the same charge is pending in Juvenile Court.

Prosecutors allege one of the teen-agers planned the shooting--which authorities said was not gang-related--after an argument he had with Lott at a Halloween party.

Lott testified Tuesday in front of Judge Blair T. Barnette, retelling what happened that day. He was walking home from school, he said, when a car sped by and shots rang out.

“It’s getting easier to talk about the shooting,” the teen-ager said in an interview afterward. “I got to do this so that I could put these guys away for doing what they did.”

Lott was shot several times in the back and legs. He has undergone two surgeries and faces the prospect of more, said Karen Lott, his mother.

Her son’s injuries will keep him from joining the Marine Corps, something he wanted to do all his life, his mother said.

Barnette ordered Yu and Taboy to return to court April 6 for their arraignment, when they are scheduled to enter a plea.