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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Judge: CdA teen voluntarily confessed to murders

Eldon Gale Samuel III
A Coeur d’Alene teenager accused of killing his father and brother knew what he was doing last April when he waived his Miranda rights, answered police questions and confessed, a judge said. The lawyer for Eldon Gale Samuel III, 15, had asked the judge to exclude from trial statements the boy made to investigators after his arrest. Kootenai County Public Defender John Adams argued that police coerced Samuel into waiving his right to remain silent, so the confession and evidence stemming from the late-night interrogation should be suppressed. But 1st District Judge Benjamin Simpson found that Samuel’s Miranda waiver and confession were “knowing, intelligent and voluntary.” In an order dated Wednesday, he denied the motion to suppress. The trial for Samuel, who faces two counts of murder, has been rescheduled for the summer to give his defense team more time to prepare. Also, Simpson today suggested the county prosecutor and public defender contemplate a plea agreement in the case. “Sometimes in hard cases it’s a good way to go,” he said in a hearing. Simpson pushed Samuel’s trial date to July 13, setting aside two weeks for it. It had been set to begin March 2. Samuel’s lawyers had asked Simpson to delay the trial until November, December or early next year. They said it is taking much time to obtain records on the family from agencies in California, where Samuel grew up. The records include police reports related to his parents, documents from child protective services and educational records, attorney Linda Payne said. “Your honor, we are simply not ready. It’s not because we are sitting around on our hands,” Payne said. The public defender’s office said it has sought hundreds of out-of-state records and is still waiting on about 40, and that some of the paperwork then points to other records that need to be requested, in some instances through a subpoena. Payne noted that Samuel waived his right to a speedy trial. “I think that Eldon deserves the best defense that we can give him,” she told Simpson. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Art Verharen questioned how far the paper trail may lead. “Is there ever really going to be an end to it,” Verharen told the judge, adding, “It seems like it goes on forever.” He recommended setting the trial for early June, giving Samuel’s lawyers a few more months to complete their records search. Simpson said he’s mindful of how long Samuel is kept “in less than ideal conditions.” The boy is being held in the county’s juvenile jail. “I’m sure Eldon wants it over,” the judge said. He also said he wants updates every two weeks on what documents the defense has requested, which ones it has received and which are outstanding. Samuel is charged with second-degree murder of his father, Eldon Samuel Jr., and first-degree murder of his autistic brother, Jonathan, 13. He was 14 when he allegedly killed them on the evening of March 24, 2014, inside the St. Vincent de Paul emergency housing unit where the three had been living. His father was shot in the stomach and head and his brother had between 40 and 50 gunshot, knife and machete wounds, according to court records.