A defense attorney said a Joliet teen was acting in self-defense in a case where he’s charged with the fatal stabbing of another teen on May 3 at Riverwalk Homes.

On Friday, Will County Judge Amy Christiansen heard arguments on whether she should allow the pretrial release of Jae’vion Smith, 17, who is charged as an adult with the first-degree murder of Javion Bailey, 17.

Christiansen may decide June 22 on whether Smith should receive pretrial release.

The pretrial provision of the SAFE-T Act requires judges to consider whether there are no conditions that can mitigate the risks of a defendant’s pretrial release.

Smith’s attorney, Chuck Bretz, argued Smith can be released to family on home confinement with electronic monitoring. He said Smith would stay at a residence with no access to weapons.

Bretz said there’s evidence in the case his client was attacked during the incident and he was acting in self-defense.

Assistant State’s Attorney Ashley Kwasneski objected to Smith’s pretrial release. She said Smith was adjudicated as a juvenile on a shooting offense, he has access to guns and he poses a danger to witnesses in the case.

At 12:55 p.m. on May 3, officers responded to Riverwalk Homes for a stabbing and found Bailey on the fifth floor with a “serious stab wound,” according to Joliet police officials.

Riverwalk Homes is an apartment complex in the central district of Joliet, just west of the Des Plaines River.

During Friday’s court hearing, Kwasneski said Bailey suffered a stab wound to the abdomen and he died after he was hospitalized from multiple organ failure.

Kwasneski said Smith was still on the scene and he allegedly admitted to stabbing Bailey.

Kwasneski said officers learned Smith and Bailey were in a bedroom with several other people. She said Smith claimed Bailey and one other person pulled a gun on him and he stabbed Bailey in self-defense.

Kwasneski said Smith stabbed Bailey without provocation and officers learned Smith was motivated to stab Bailey because Smith felt disrespected by him.

Bretz said Smith believed he was going to be robbed by several people involved in the incident and a gun was “pulled on him.” Bretz said there is clear evidence the incident was initiated by an assault with deadly weapons on his client.

Smith remained on scene instead of fleeing and he was cooperative with police, Bretz said.

Kwasneski said the only witness who suggested self-defense had fled the scene and there is a “reasonable inference” the witness was part of the plot to “get revenge” on Bailey.

Bretz said that witness didn’t remain on scene because there were people with guns beating him up.