A Manhattan Family Court judge on Thursday ordered Tessa Majors murder suspect Zyairr Davis to stay locked up while he awaits trial in mid-March.
Judge Carol Goldstein noted the seriousness of the second-degree murder charge levied against the 13-year-old.
“Indeed, this really is the most serious offense I could have before me in family court,” she said.
Attorneys for the Upper West Side teen argued he should be released into the custody of his aunt and uncle because he is not a flight risk.
Legal Aid attorney Hannah Kaplan noted his school attendance rate was greater than 80 percent last year and he “has had very positive behavior” in juvenile detention since his Dec. 12 arrest.
But a lawyer representing the city, Rachel Glantz, countered that there had been an incident of “negative behavior” in the facility, in which Davis had to be restrained and escorted to his room.
Kaplan said the incident involved “language [being] used in response to when a staffer tried to take away a video game he was playing.”
The judge ultimately decided to keep the teen locked up, and set a March 16 trial date.
“I think Zyairr is doing pretty well in what must be a difficult situation. However, I don’t see a substantial change in circumstances to change remand,” Goldstein said.
She also set a Feb. 4 hearing, relating to a request from the defense that certain evidence in the case be suppressed.
A spokesman for Legal Aid said he “can’t discuss the particulars as these documents are sealed.”
At a previous hearing, the defense challenged the validity of the statement Davis gave to cops after his arrest.
He purportedly told investigators that he and two of his middle-school buddies set out the night of the Dec. 11 slaying to rob people and that one of his pals had stabbed Majors, 18, in the mugging.
A 14-year-old boy Davis allegedly identified as the person who fatally stabbed the Barnard College freshman had a DNA swab taken by cops before being released without charges last week.
Another 14-year-old was also taken into custody and released.