Not guilty plea entered for North Idaho teen accused of killing father, brother

A Coeur d’Alene boy charged with murder in the deaths of his father and brother was arraigned Monday but did not enter a plea, so a judge entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. Eldon Gale Samuel III, 14, appeared in cuffs before 1st District Court Judge Benjamin Simpson in a courtroom at the Kootenai County Jail. Samuel was arrested March 24 at an emergency housing unit owned by St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho. Investigators say he shot his father, Eldon Samuel Jr., 46, then shot and stabbed his brother, Jonathan Samuel, 13. He faces one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder and is being held on $1 million bail. No trial date has been set. Samuel’s attorney, public defender John Adams, told the judge he expects it will take at least four months to obtain and review records needed for the boy’s defense. Due to that delay, Samuel waived his right to a speedy trial. When asked if Samuel was ready to enter a plea, Adams replied, “Judge, we’re going to stand silent,” repeating his opposition to the state prosecuting the boy as an adult rather than a juvenile.