Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – Ronald A. Brady pleaded not guilty today to first-degree murder in connection with April’s fatal shooting of a suspected burglar outside his Onalaska house.

Ronald A. Brady

Brady, 60, had already been arraigned in the case, but today’s court hearing followed the increase of charges from manslaughter to murder.

He remains free on an $50,000 unsecured appearance bond.

Deputy Prosecutor Colin Hayes and defense attorney Don Blair hashed out various issues today with a judge about what will be allowed at the upcoming trial.

Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler nixed the deputy prosecutor’s attempt to charge Brady with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter.

Hayes said it was a strategic move for the state to “cover its bases” while Blair called it the “wet noodle approach.”

Brady has admitted opening fire on Thomas McKenzie and McKenzie’s estranged wife Joanna McKenzie, telling sheriff’s detectives he was staying overnight at the unoccupied house in case burglars from earlier in the day returned. The 56-year-old Morton man died at the scene and his wife escaped uninjured.

Brady is charged with and has pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault for allegedly shooting at Joanna McKenzie.

Hayes told the court he wants to prevent Blair from telling the jury the details of Joanna McKenzie’s subsequent conviction for attempted burglary from that night.

He argued that she made a so-called Alford plea, not admitting guilt.

Lawler postponed making ruling on the issue. The attorneys expect to meet with the judge again to bring him more information about their reasoning.

A new trial date was scheduled for the week of April 25.
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Read “Onalaska shooting: Charges upped from manslaughter to first-degree murder” from Monday Nov. 22, 2010 here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – As expected, a judge signed an order today for a competency evaluation on the 21-year-old Morton man accused of accosting a boy in a public restroom this summer.

Steven R. Moulton waits in Lewis County Superior Court with his father behind him.

Steven R. Moulton was arrested by Morton police in June after he allegedly crawled under the closed door of an occupied bathroom stall in Gust Backstrom Park where an 8-year-old boy started screaming drawing the child’s grandfather and then police.

The boy told officers Moulton covered his mouth and hit him twice. Moulton denied striking the child and said he knew someone was in the stall, “but he had to go to the bathroom,” according to charging documents.

Defense attorney David Arcuri told Judge James Lawler last week his client has previously been found not competent due to a developmental disability.

Moulton is free on a signature bond co-signed by his father, Michael R. Moulton.

Arcuri said today he will be be evaluated by specialists from Western State Hospital.

Moulton has not yet been arraigned. Arcuri said his client can’t enter a plea until he’s found competent.

Moulton is charged with burglary; for unlawfully entering or remaining in a building with the intent to commit a crime.
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Read more about the case in “Developmental delays may put alleged attack in Morton park restroom case on hold” from Friday Nov. 26, 2010 here

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The attorney for the man charged in the fatal shooting of a neighbor in a Winlock trailer park asked a judge today that his client’s mental health be evaluated.

Richard J. F. Roth

Richard Joseph Frank Roth, 65, is charged with first-degree murder for the Nov. 4 death of 64-year-old Jackie Marie Lawyer.

Attorney Mike Underwood said it’s standard procedure in a case this serious to discover whether or not a defendant is competent to stand trial.

Prosecutor’s allege Roth retrieved a handgun from his property and confronted Lawyer near the trailer park mailboxes after an argument between the two about him “snitching” on her for dumping wood stove ashes in the woods. Roth called 911 to report the shooting after it happened.

Roth previously has been brought up for his court appearances in a wheelchair but attorneys didn’t have him come to the courtroom for today’s brief hearing.

He has pleaded not guilty and remains held on $500,000 bail.
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Read more about the case here in “Slain woman previously managed Winlock trailer park where she died” from Friday Nov. 12, 2010

By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

Fire investigator Ted McCarty said yesterday there were actually two dairy farm fires in Lewis County recently.

Misty Morning Dairy in Onalaska lost a tractor and tons of hay on Thanksgiving night, but a dairy in Randle faced a fire inside its milking parlor a week earlier, according to McCarty.

As an employee was bringing in the cows at Cowlitz Meadows Dairy on Skinner Road on Nov. 16, he noticed hay in the loft above was on fire, McCarty said.

A bale had fallen against a lighting fixture, according to McCarty. It was quickly put out and no cows were lost, he said.