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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Joseph Duncan

News about the investigation, trial and sentencing of Joseph Edward Duncan for the 2005 kidnap, torture and murder of 9-year-old Dylan Groene of Coeur d’Alene; the murders of Dylan’s mother, mother’s fiance and 13-year-old brother; and the kidnapping and molestation of Dylan’s then-8-year-old sister Shasta.

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News >  Idaho

Duncan admits to disturbing nature of videotape

BOISE – Joseph Duncan, acting as his own attorney, acknowledged Friday that a videotape he made of himself torturing and abusing a 9-year-old North Idaho boy he later murdered is so disturbing that it could leave some viewers emotionally scarred. “This video has a potential of victimizing people,” Duncan told U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge as he sought the removal of a prospective juror who indicated he could have trouble watching the graphic videotape, in part because of a family member’s past abuse. “And anybody who’s sensitive, I’m concerned about that.”
News >  Idaho

Judge lets Duncan question would-be jurors

BOISE – Confessed killer Joseph Duncan insisted on taking over questioning his potential jurors Thursday, sidelining his standby attorneys, but then refused to ask any questions. The move, which U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge urged Duncan to reconsider, left one legal observer befuddled.
News >  Idaho

Lawyers stuck with Duncan

BOISE – Joseph Duncan’s standby attorneys told a federal judge Wednesday that the confessed killer is so irrational they can’t ethically follow his wishes, and they asked to withdraw from the case. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge refused.
News >  Idaho

Duncan’s new role seen as liability

BOISE – When Joseph Duncan takes over as his own attorney in his upcoming death penalty sentencing hearings, it’ll change the nature of the proceedings, experts say – and make the confessed multiple murderer much more likely to get the death penalty. “The problem with defendants representing themselves is it puts the spotlight on the defendant, and that’s not always the best defense strategy,” said University of Idaho law professor Richard Seamon.
News >  Idaho

Duncan asks for access to his computer files

BOISE – Killer Joseph Duncan wants access to the computer files – including images, video, audio and documents – from the laptop that was confiscated from him when he was arrested with Shasta Groene, and from another computer confiscated from his North Dakota apartment. Duncan, who is acting as his own attorney in his capital sentencing trial, filed a handwritten document with the court requesting access to the files, saying he needs them “in preparing my defense.” It was Duncan’s first official filing since he won his bid to represent himself.
News >  Idaho

News media seek an open courtroom

BOISE – Attorneys for The Spokesman-Review and an array of news organizations in Idaho and Eastern Washington filed arguments in federal court Friday in favor of keeping open court proceedings in the Joseph Duncan case. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge is considering closing the courtroom for the testimony of 11-year-old Shasta Groene and the showing of a videotape Duncan made of his abuse of 9-year-old Dylan Groene, whom Duncan admits murdering.
News >  Idaho

Duncan cleared to represent himself

BOISE – Joseph Duncan won his bid Monday to act as his own attorney in his sentencing hearings, sidelining his expert legal team in what U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge called an “unwise” move. Asked by the judge if he had any reservations, Duncan said, “I’m not a perfect person, and I make mistakes sometimes. ... My only reservation is that I’m a human being.”
News >  Idaho

Defense wants open court for video

BOISE – Attorneys for Joseph Duncan argued Friday that the courtroom should remain open when prosecutors play graphic videotape evidence during his sentencing hearing, but that it should be closed if Shasta Groene testifies. The defense was responding to motions filed by The Spokesman-Review and other news organizations arguing that the First Amendment requires that key evidence in the death penalty sentencing proceedings must be presented in open court.
News >  Idaho

Duncan mentally fit for sentencing, judge rules

BOISE – Convicted killer Joseph Duncan is competent enough to face death penalty proceedings for the murder of the North Idaho boy he abducted after slaying most of the 9-year-old’s family, U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge ruled Thursday. The ruling, in which Lodge said there’s “no bona fide doubt” about whether Duncan is mentally fit to proceed, clears the way for a hearing Monday on whether Duncan can act as his own attorney. A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision gives the judge more latitude on that question, Lodge noted.
News >  Idaho

Ruling could alter Duncan case

BOISE – A June U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting the right of mentally ill defendants to represent themselves in court could affect the case of Joseph Duncan, who admitted killing four members of a North Idaho family. Although he has prominent capital defense lawyers assigned to represent him, Duncan told U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge in April that he wants to act as his own attorney, because, he said, “I don’t believe that they can ethically represent my ideology.”
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News >  Idaho

Child-killer Joseph Duncan still fighting death sentence

Although child-killer Joseph Duncan waived his right to appeal his triple death sentence for the 2005 kidnapping, torture and murder of a 9-year-old North Idaho boy, Duncan, through a team of attorneys, is now pressing a series of continued challenges. That’s in part because more...
News >  Idaho

9th Circuit dismisses Duncan’s appeal of death sentence

The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has rejected claims from attorneys for multiple murderer Joseph Duncan that the killer was incompetent to waive appeals of his death sentence, and dismissed the appeal that defense attorneys filed on his behalf. The attorneys still could seek...