Joseph Duncan

Steve Groene has made it clear he doesn't want his daughter to have to take the stand and face the man accused of murdering her two brothers, her mother and her mother's boyfriend. Now, the accused has weighed in. Joseph Duncan wants to keep Shasta off the witness stand, according to Duncan's attorney. Kootenai County Public Defender John Adams said his office is "100 percent behind Steve Groene and his attempts to reach a settlement (in the case) to protect his family. We share those concerns and Mr. Duncan shares those concerns."

A request by the father of Shasta Groene to drop the possibility of the death penalty in the state murder trial of Joseph Edward Duncan III also has reached the ears of federal prosecutors. Steve Groene has asked Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas not to seek the death penalty for Duncan in the state's triple murder trial. Now, federal authorities also are discussing a plea deal, a source said Monday.

Shasta Groene thinks it's a great idea to have a plaque memorializing her slain brother on the playground at Fernan Elementary School, her father said Monday. Steve Groene persuaded Coeur d'Alene school board members to reverse their stance on where the plaque should go. Last month, board members voiced concerns that having it at the school Dylan Groene attended would be a painful reminder for Shasta, who still goes there, and would prompt other children to ask what happened to him.

Steve Groene has asked for the death penalty case to be withdrawn against the man accused of kidnapping his daughter and murdering his two sons last year, Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas said. Instead, Joseph E. Duncan III would face a life sentence if convicted of the murders. But Douglas said he plans to continue to push for Duncan's death.

Dylan Groene may be memorialized with a piece of playground equipment at Fernan Elementary School. The school's principal has been contacted by a North Carolina man who wants to raise money for a Wall Ball – a wall children can bounce balls off – as a memorial to Dylan, who attended the school, Coeur d'Alene Superintendent Harry Amend said Monday.

DETROIT LAKES, Minn. – A deadline for serving Becker County with a lawsuit over the release of accused kidnapper and killer Joseph E. Duncan III is approaching, but the county hasn't received the paperwork. Jon Iverson, a lawyer for the county, said Tuesday that it was unusual the county hadn't been served and that he had "never seen anything like it."

Kootenai County commissioners have asked Joseph Duncan's public defender to get pre-approval for all expenses related to the triple-homicide case. They made the request in a memo to Public Defender John Adams. The lawyer for Duncan said in a court hearing last week there were "funding issues" related to the case. Adams declined to elaborate this week on what he meant by that.

The families of homicide victims Brenda Groene, her son Slade and her boyfriend, Mark McKenzie, said Monday they want the death penalty to stay on the table in the trial of accused killer Joseph Duncan. Duncan's public defender hinted last week that a plea agreement in the triple-murder case may be possible if Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas does not seek capital punishment.