Fort Lauderdale , Florida ( CNN ) -- Three teens accused of setting a 15-year-old friend on fire pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of attempted murder , a public defender for one of the boys said . Denver Jarvis and Matthew Bent , both 15 , and Jesus Mendez , 16 , are charged as adults with one count of attempted murder in the second degree in the October 12 attack in Deerfield Beach , Florida . They were arraigned in Broward County Circuit Court before Judge Dale Cohen and are being held without bond . Two other boys ages 13 and 15 have been charged as juveniles . Prosecutors say Jarvis , Bent and Mendez were in a gang that poured alcohol over Michael Brewer , 15 , then set him ablaze in a dispute over $ 40 , a video game and a bicycle . Brewer jumped into the swimming pool at his apartment complex to put out the flames , witnesses say . Brewer suffered burns over 65 percent of his body . He 's reported in guarded condition at the University of Miami 's Jackson Memorial Hospital Burn Center , where he 's been in a private room since the incident . Gordon Weekes , the attorney for Bent , denounced the fact that the teens were charged as adults . `` It 's been decided by society that a 15-year-old ca n't vote , ca n't join the armed forces and can not buy alcohol , because society has recognized that children do not have the ability to appreciate the long-term consequences of their actions , '' he said . `` But they can treat them as adults in court , when we have very capable remedies for them in the juvenile justice system , which is geared toward rehabilitation , '' he said . Weekes said he and the other two public defenders plan to make separate motions to the court asking that their clients be allowed to post bond . Detectives say witnesses told them that Mendez used a lighter to set fire to Brewer after Jarvis poured alcohol over him . They said Matthew Bent encouraged the attack . Authorities say Mendez admitted setting Brewer on fire , and that he made a `` bad decision , '' according to an arrest transcript . Detectives with the Broward County Sheriff 's Office have been unable to interview Brewer . Until last week , he had been on a ventilator to keep him alive . `` We hope that we can maybe get a statement this week , '' said sheriff 's spokesman Jim Leljedal . `` Detectives have been waiting for him to recover to the point where he 's strong enough to give us a complete statement , '' he said . Doctors say Brewer is improving but his condition is tenuous because of the severity of his burns and the possibility of infections . Most of his burns are on his back and buttocks ; his face and hands were largely spared , doctors say . Brewer 's doctor told CNN the teen faces several more months in the hospital and will need multiple skin grafts and surgeries . `` They still have to perform several operations on him for skin grafting , but his parents are with him all the time , '' said Lorraine Nelson , a hospital spokeswoman . `` I do n't tell him what happened , '' Brewer 's mother , Valerie , told CNN affiliate WFOR-TV . `` I just tell him he 's in the hospital and he 's safe and he 's getting better . `` And he 'll say , 'Am I going to be OK ? ' And I say 'Yes , Michael . You 're going to be fine . You 're going to be just fine , ' `` she said . Investigators believe Brewer owed Bent $ 40 for a video game . When Brewer did not pay , Bent stole Brewer 's father 's bicycle , police say . When Brewer reported him to the police , Bent was arrested . The next day , the group surrounded Brewer . The five boys called Brewer `` a snitch '' and set him on fire , witnesses said . The Brewer family told WFOR that none of the families of the accused boys have tried to contact them , but it does n't matter . `` We ca n't focus on it . They 'll get theirs is all we can say . I do n't focus on it , '' Michael Brewer 's father , also named Michael , told WFOR . If convicted they could face up to 30 years in prison . A court-appointed psychologist who has examined two of the five boys told CNN they are competent to take part in legal proceedings and assist their attorney . `` I can describe both of them as being afraid , being fearful , '' said forensic psychologist Michael Brannon , who did not identify the boys . `` I can describe both of them as being tearful at various times during the interview , especially when talking about the specific incident which led to the injuries of the victim , '' he said . Psychologists are often brought into cases involving teenagers and young adults to judge their mental capabilities and determine their competency to proceed . Psychologists also must evaluate whether the defendants can talk about what happened and communicate effectively with defense attorneys . `` I do n't think they expected to have happened , what happened , '' Brannon said . `` It 's a horrible event that occurred , but this was not their conceptualization , in my opinion , of what was going to happen . ''
NEW : Attorney denounces charging teens as adults , will seek bond . Michael Brewer has burns on 65 percent of his body after being doused with alcohol , set ablaze . Three teens charged as adults with one count of attempted murder in the second degree . Two other boys ages 13 and 15 have been charged as juveniles .