By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The court hearing for accused murderer John Allen Booth Jr. this morning was low key compared with the Onalaska man’s previous appearances in front of a judge.
John Allen Booth Jr.
Booth, 31, pleaded not guilty to two counts of aggravated murder, new charges in the August triple homicide in Salkum which could potentially bring a death penalty.
“Do you have any questions of the court at this time?” Lewis County Superior Court Judge Richard Brosey asked.
“Nope,” Booth responded.
Whereas his first appearance in a Chehalis courtroom and his arraignment with Ryan J. McCarthy attracted crowds of family and friends of both victims and defendants, this morning’s hearing drew only a handful of spectators, including Lewis County sheriff’s detectives and Booth’s fiancee.
Booth is charged with murder and extortion in connection with the gunshot deaths on Aug. 21 of David J. West Sr. 52, his son David J. West Jr., 16, and Tony E. Williams, 50, of Randle. He is charged with attempted murder of 51-year-old Denise Salts. The aggravated murder charges are for the deaths of the younger West and Williams.
At the request of defense attorney James Dixon, the judge this morning appointed a second lawyer to assist in the case. The new attorney is among a small number in Washington state qualified to work potential death penalty cases.
Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher told Judge Brosey he understands the arraignment triggers a 30-day deadline for prosecutors to decide whether to seek the death penalty, but said he anticipated the new lawyer might want to request an extension.
The two attorneys and the judge discussed allowing Booth his own copy of the “discovery” – comprised so far of three three-ring binders of investigative materials as the defense prepares for trial.
“I would like a copy for Mr. Booth to review on his own time, without me having to be there,” Dixon said.
Meagher opposed the request, but Brosey agreed, provided identifying information about witnesses is blacked out and that Booth may not show or discuss with anyone its contents.
Outside the courtroom, Booth’s fiancee expressed frustration that he has been painted as a monster. She said people don’t know a lot about the man who was just released from prison in December.
“This is a man who was gainfully employed, he was employed from the time he got out and was signing up for a college class,” Shawna Trent said. “He had his (life) together. We were making a new life together.”
Until Booth was arrested, he was working in Tacoma at a supplier of foam upholstery to the marine and automotive industries, according to Trent. They knew he was a felon, she said.
“They were giving him that chance, and he took full advantage of it,” she said.
Trent, a nursing student, said the couple was engaged in March, underwent what she called a Sharia wedding – an Islamic marriage ceremony – in June and had a December date set for a civil wedding ceremony.
The two decided to go ahead and marry in the near future, even though Booth is locked up, she said.
Those plans got put on hold however, she said, after she called the jail and asked how to go about arranging the civil ceremony. Within days she discovered his collect phone calls to her were blocked and she was barred from further visitation.
Trent, 35, was told her name was on a witness list so she is prevented from having any contact with her fiance.
A trial date has not yet been set for Booth.
If convicted of the higher charges, the only two possible penalties are life in prison without the possibility of release or death.
•••
Read some of the previous stories on the case:
• “Death penalty is on the table” in Salkum slayings from Thursday Sept. 30, 2010 here
• “West Sr. pointed shotgun telling pair of ex-cons to leave his house, triggering triple homicide, unsealed court documents allege” from Saturday Sept. 4, 2010 here
• “Unsealed document: More details on Salkum slayings” from Monday Sept. 6, 2010 here
Join us