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Springfield Police closed part of Lucerne Road on Sunday, March 15 after a neighbor reported hearing 4 or 5 gunshots; Christopher Montgomery, 17, of Springfield was later charged in the shooting death of Rakeem Nixon, who was found lying in the street. (Photo courtesy of CBS 3 Springfield)

SPRINGFIELD - A judge has refused to throw out charges against a Springfield teenager who allegedly gunned down a man on a quiet residential street on a Sunday afternoon two months ago.

During a hearing in Springfield District Court Tuesday, defense lawyer Donald Frank asked for the dismissal of murder and firearms charges against 17-year old Christopher Montgomery in a case marked by secrecy and fears of retaliation against witnesses.

Judge Charles V. Groce III quickly rejected the request, which reflected Frank's mounting frustration over how prosecutors and court officials have handled the case.

Montgomery, who is being held at a state Department of Youth Services facility in eastern Massachusetts, was due in court Tuesday for a pretrial hearing. But to the defense lawyer's surprise, the hearing was postponed on short notice and rescheduled for next month.

"My client knew he had another date before I did," Frank said, adding that he only learned of the development after arriving in court.

Montgomery's family also expected to see him in court, or to be notified if his appearance was cancelled, Frank added. "I've got a client whose family must think I'm not doing my job," he said.

Montgomery - listed in court records as 5-feet, 3-inches tall and 110 pounds - allegedly shot Rakeem Nixon following an encounter on Lucerne Road on March 15.

The victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the hospital - the city's seventh homicide in 2015.

No motive for the killing was disclosed when Montgomery was arraigned the next day in Springfield District Court.

At a prosecutor's request, a judge impounded all police reports and witness statements in the case.

Citing delays in turning over 70-plus pages of un-redacted documents, Frank filed a motion in April calling for Montgomery's release and for sanctions against prosecutors..

He withdrew the motion after a judge ordered the release of complete police reports and witness statements on the condition that the defense team does not disclose the names of witnesses to their client.

In a related court filing, Assistant District Attorney Matthew W. Green explained that the defendant has gang ties and a key witness expressed fear for his safety.

Others who spoke to investigators have "valid concerns" about their well being, Green wrote in a motion to continue the impoundment order.

The prosecutor said Montgomery apparently "looked at (the victim) the wrong way" as the pair passed each other on Lucerne Road, sparking a confrontation that led to the shooting.

On Tuesday, Montgomery was scheduled for a so-called bind over hearing to determine if his case should be transferred to Superior Court.

At a prosecutor's request, the judge continued the case to June 12.