John Booth Jr. addresses his answers toward the jury when testifying today in Lewis County Superior Court.
This was updated at 10:54 p.m.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – John Allen Booth Jr. took the witness stand in his own triple-murder trial and denied being present when four people were shot – three fatally – at 101 Wings Way in rural Lewis County on Aug. 21, 2010 .
Booth is expected to finish testifying when court resumes after lunch.
The 32-year-old former Onalaska resident, under questioning, told a story of “fronting” a pound of methamphetamine to David West Sr. sometime in July of that year and returning repeatedly to West Sr.’s house to finish collecting on the debt.
On the evening before the 21st, Booth said, West Sr. didn’t have the agreed upon payment.
“I said, ‘how about if I leave my buddy here with you, and as soon as you give me my money, he’ll take off,” Booth testified.
Booth said he had other business to tend to and left the Salkum-Onalaska area home. He said he never went back.
He refused to name the “buddy” who he said came to visit him the following day.
Booth is charged with first- and second-degree murder, attempted murder, attempted extortion and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with shootings. His former cell mate, 30-year-old Ryan McCarthy, has been sent to prison for 14 years after a plea agreement, where he did not admit guilt but acknowledged he was present.
While the trial in Lewis County Superior Court began a week ago Monday, defense attorney Roger Hunko postponed his opening statements until this morning.
They lasted 15 minutes and most of the seats in the courtroom filled up after he announced he had only two witnesses: his private investigator and his client.
The investigator, John Wickert, testified he interviewed John Lindberg, the witness who said he hid out in a back room as gunfire broke out that night in the house shared by West Sr., his longtime girlfriend Denise Salts, and 16-year-old David West Jr.
Lindberg told him West Sr. had received approximately one pound of meth a week earlier from a Hispanic gentleman, Wickert testified.
Booth took the witness stand for some 45 minutes today explaining through his lawyer’s questioning how he sold West Sr. a pound of meth for $14,000 – because of the quality – and when he returned a week later for his money, got only $5,000 of it.
“We figured out a payment plan of $1,000 a week,” Booth said.
Booth said he drove to West Sr.’s house the evening of Aug. 20, because West Sr. had called and said he’d have his money. But he didn’t, Booth said.
“Then we had a discussion, he was gonna have my money later that night,” Booth testified. “He informed me he was gonna be there all night.”
So Booth left his “buddy” at the house, he said. And he was somewhere in Rochester near the casino when he got a call from his friend, he said.
He called another friend “Dee” Draper to pick up the “buddy” and then called someone else to get him from Draper’s house, he said. Devonna Draper, owner of Onalaska’s All In Restaurant and Lounge, previously testified she got such a phone call sometime after her bar closed that night.
The next morning, Booth said, he was at his shop when the buddy came to pick up his car.
“Did he give you a rundown of what happened?” Hunko asked.
“Yes,” Booth replied.
Booth said he took the gun – “I didn’t want him to get pulled over with a ‘burner’ on him” – and sprayed it down with WD-40.
He said he began getting phone calls and hearing the police were looking for him and Robbie Russell on a shooting of West Sr. So he left town, he said.
“I’m a criminal, I’m not gonna sit around,” Booth testified. “I jumped in my car and took off.”
When asked, he matter-of-factly listed off his past convictions; related to burglary, possession of a stolen firearm and assaults, plus intimidating a witness.
“Do you know personally, do you have knowledge of what happened at the house at 101 Wings Way?” Hunko asked.
“I was not there,” Booth said.
Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher cross-examined Booth, beginning by asking about alibi witnesses.
“In my line of work, you don’t really have that,” Booth said.
“You’re armed a lot,” Meagher said.
“Every day,” Booth replied.
Meagher asked numerous questions, and in many cases, Booth was direct in his responses. He showed a photo of a gun, which Booth said yes he wiped off, but no, it was not his.
“Where do you get your meth?” the prosecutor asked.
“Random Mexicans,” Booth said.
Meagher inquired about Booth leaving McCarthy at the Wings Way house.
“I didn’t say that,” Booth said. “I said I left my buddy there.”
“Who’s your buddy?” Meagher asked.
“I cannot currently recall,” Booth said. “I will not currently recall.”
Booth finally offered it was “Joe Nameless.”
“So you refuse to tell your alibi witness?” Meager asked.
“Yes,” Booth said.
And the questioning continued.
“In your business, what happens when people don’t pay their debts?” Meagher asked.
“That doesn’t happen,” Booth replied.
Meagher in his questioning began to recount how West Sr. came at Booth with a shot gun and that Booth opened fire.
“I understand what you’re saying, but no, I did not,” Booth said.
As Meagher recited what other witnesses had said, Booth generally sat back in the witness chair, but leaned forward toward the microphone to respond with short answers such as “That’s not right” and “I was not there.”
Then Meager related the series of events which followed, his questions coming faster and louder, accusing Booth of shooting West Sr., Tony Williams, David West Jr. and Salts.
“And you forgot about Lindberg,” Meager said.
Finally, somewhat sarcastically, Meager asked: “Did you shoot anybody else that night?”
“Thinkin ’bout shooting you,” Booth replied.
That’s when the judge said it was time to break for lunch.
On Aug. 21, 2010 when deputies and aid arrived to the home on Wings Way after an approximately 2 a.m. report of gunshots and a shooting, they found Salts, 51, alive but seriously wounded with a gunshot to her face.
They found three others in the house dead of gunshots to the head; West Sr. 52; David Jr. and Williams, 50, of Randle.
Judge Richard Brosey told jurors to expect to hear closing statements tomorrow beginning 9 a.m.
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