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19-year-old arrested in quadruple homicide - Des Moines community gathers for memorials
KENT -- Sheriff's deputies from two counties arrested a Pierce County man yesterday and booked him into jail on suspicion of murdering four people in Des Moines.
Leemah Charles Carneh, 19, was being held without bail last night at the King County Regional Justice Center in Kent, according to booking records. A bail hearing is scheduled this morning.
Carneh was arrested at a home north of Spanaway, in unincorporated Pierce County, the King County Sheriff's Office said. Neighbors said Carneh's parents lived there.
Last night, investigators from the department cleared out of the house at 920 S. 226th Place in Des Moines, where the four bodies were found Friday.
Yesterday, the King County Medical Examiner's Office made official what neighbors and friends had suspected in the days since the bodies were discovered: The victims were Richard and Leola J. Larson, Taelor Marks and Josie M. Peterson.
Neighbors and friends said both of the Larsons were in their 60s; Marks, their grandson, and Peterson, his girlfriend, were both 17.
The medical examiner wouldn't confirm the ages of the victims or their relationship to each other, but released how each died: The Larsons both suffered fatal gunshot wounds to the head; Marks died of a gunshot wound to the torso and blunt-force injury to the head; Peterson suffered a fatal blow to the head and stab wounds to the neck.
No information about the day or time of the deaths was released, however.
A spokesman for the King County Sheriff's Department assured area residents again yesterday that they have no reason to fear for their safety.
``We don't feel this is a random act,'' said deputy Bob Conner. ``We feel this family was targeted.''
However, investigators wouldn't say how Carneh may have been connected to any of the victims.
Carneh has been charged with many crimes in superior courts in King and Pierce counties. Court documents list his name as Leema Charles Carneh and Leema Charles Carnek.
He has served time in King County's juvenile detention facility and been sentenced to many hours of community service for residential burglary, taking a vehicle without permission, and assault.
Carneh was twice convicted for illegally possessing a firearm -- once in September 1997 and again in May 1999.
The King County Sheriff's Office, assisted by Pierce County SWAT team members, arrested Carneh ``without incident'' shortly before 6 a.m. yesterday, after surrounding the home, Conner said in a press release.
But neighbors living a half-dozen houses away in the quiet subdivision said they were awakened by two loud bangs. The noise apparently was from ``flash-bang grenades'' thrown by officers to temporarily disorient the home's occupants as officers rushed inside. Deputies said they had Carneh in custody within moments.
Several neighbors said the two explosions rattled their windows.
``I went running outside to see what happened. A police officer was standing there and told me to get back inside my house,'' said Randy Baker, who lives around the corner.
Neighbors later were startled to learn that the suspect in the Des Moines homicides had been arrested in their neighborhood of well-tended ramblers and split-level homes.
Bob Deaton, who lives next door to the gray rambler where Carneh was arrested, said he had seen the teen-ager coming to visit his parents a few times. Deaton and other residents described the parents as good neighbors. They said the couple also have three younger children, two boys and a girl in grade school.
``It's a shame -- they're the nicest family,'' Deaton said. ``I really feel sorry for those little kids. It must have been terrible what they had to go through this morning when the police were there.''
PHOTO by Matt Brashears: Evergreen High School senior Melvin White, at left wearing hood, hugs fellow senior and cheerleader Stephanie Smith yesterday as Evergreen's cheerleading squad mourns the loss of their friend, Josie Peterson, identified yesterday as one of four people found dead inside a Des Moines home Friday. The group was gathered at a memorial on the street where the murders occurred. A sign posted by friends and relatives of the victims read, in part: ``Dear Friends, Thank you for your support and outpouring of love...It means everything.''
$1 million bail in murder of four: - Car may link suspect to teen boy found dead in Des Moines home
Matt Joyce
Bail was set at $1 million yesterday for the 19-year-old man arrested in the killing of four people last week in Des Moines.
During a brief bail hearing, King County prosecutors called Leemah Carneh a flight risk and ``an incredibly serious threat to the community.''
Carneh's defense lawyer held an overcoat around her client to shield his face from news media cameras because she said identity would be an issue if charges are filed.
Carneh is being held in connection with the deaths of Richard Larson, 63, and Leola J. Larson, 64; their grandson, Taelor Marks, 17; and his girlfriend, Josie M. Peterson, 17.
Their bodies were found Friday at the Larsons' home at 920 S. 226th Place in Des Moines. The King County Medical Examiner's Office said the Larsons both were killed by gunshot wounds to the head; Marks died of a gunshot wound to the torso and blunt-force injury to the head; Peterson was killed by a blow to the head and stab wounds to the neck.
Police continue to investigate the quadruple slaying, but no other arrests have been made, according to sheriff's deputy Bob Conner. Still, others might have been involved in the killings, he said.
Carneh was arrested Monday morning at a home north of Spanaway in unincorporated Pierce County. Neighbors said his parents lived there.
Conner would not say if investigators have found a weapon, and he would not give information about the day or time of the deaths.
``We don't feel this is a random act,'' Conner said. ``We feel this family was targeted.''
Although investigators have not revealed a possible motive or said how Carneh might have been connected with any of the victims, a neighbor in Spanaway said Carneh and Marks were linked through Marks' car.
The neighbor, who asked not to be identified, told The Seattle Times that sheriff's officers who began a stakeout in the neighborhood about midday Sunday said Carneh had sold the car to Marks.
The vehicle, a lowrider 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, was missing from the house when the four bodies were discovered. The car was found over the weekend at an apartment complex in Kent.
Debbie Kraus of Seattle, who knew Marks because he dated her 16-year-old daughter for a few months last year, said earlier that Marks was very fond of his car.
``I think he had goals, but his main love was that car,'' Kraus said. ``He was all excited about the chrome wheels. He wanted to make it into ... a lowrider.''
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Suspect pleads innocent to quadruple killings - Prosecutors say he was obsessed with one of the victims
KENT -- A 19-year-old man pleaded innocent yesterday in King County Superior Court to what prosecutors say was the obsession-driven killings of four people.
Leemah Carneh stood quietly and was flanked by two defense lawyers as a prosecutor methodically read the brutal charges: four counts of aggravated first-degree murder.
He is accused of killing Josie Peterson and her boyfriend, Taelor Marks, both 17, and Marks' grandparents, Richard and Leola Jane Larson, 63 and 64.
Prosecutors say it was Carneh's obsession with Peterson -- a popular cheerleader and college-bound student at Evergreen High School -- that might have spurred the grisly killings at the Larsons' home on March 8 in Des Moines.
``I can't believe a human being is capable of this kind of atrocity -- not once but four times,'' said Lorraine Floyd, Taelor Marks' mother, who identified herself as Lorraine Marks.
Carneh, who wore a white, high-security jail jumpsuit and leg and hand shackles, spoke only once during the arraignment and looked over court papers while the charges were read.
If he is convicted, Carneh, who last lived with his family in Spanaway, would either be executed or spend his life in prison without the possibility of release. Prosecutor Norm Maleng has 30 days to decide if he'll seek the death penalty.
During the arraignment, the victims' relatives held hands and cried quietly.
Afterward, Marks family members said they hope prosecutors pursue the death penalty.
``When did it become an acceptable form of communication for teens and young adults to use violence?'' asked Stacey Reynolds, Taelor Marks' godmother.
Lorraine Marks said this is the second time she has lost a child to a criminal act.
Her 18-year-old stepdaughter was killed by a drunken driver in 1996.
``I just see broken hearts everywhere I look. Everywhere,'' she said.
Several of Carneh's friends and relatives who attended the hearing refused to comment afterward.
``He's doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances,'' defense lawyer Louis Frantz said, declining to comment further.
Carneh is being held without bail at the Regional Justice Center jail in Kent.
The victims' bodies were found March 9 at the Larsons' home in the 900 block of South 226th Place in Des Moines. Police believe they were killed sometime early that morning or the night before.
Prosecutors allege Carneh killed the Larsons execution style, shooting them in the head at close range after forcing them onto the living room floor. They said he might have killed the Larsons first, then waited for Marks and Peterson to arrive home.
Marks was shot in the back, beaten in the head and stabbed in the neck, according to charging papers.
Peterson, the only victim who was not shot, was beaten and stabbed.
When Carneh was arrested at his parents' home, police said they found a gun, bloody clothes, a photograph of Peterson and other items belonging to the victims.
In earlier interviews, friends of Taelor Marks said he and Carneh had known each other for several years after attending the same schools.
No one else is believed to be involved in the killings.
Evergreen mourns fallen friend
Wendy Giroux
A teacher who loved Josie Grace Peterson called her ``Smiley.'' Others admired the 17-year-old Evergreen High School student for her talented dance moves and enthusiasm as a cheerleader. They will also remember her as a zealous academic who planned to attend law school after college. ``Josie was a little defiant. Josie was strong-willed. Josie was beautiful,'' cheer coach Terry Dixon said during a memorial at the high school yesterday. Peterson was murdered last week along with her boyfriend, Taelor Marks, 17, and his grandparents, Richard and Leola Larson, 63 and 64, at the Larsons' home in Des Moines. The victims were discovered March 9. Peterson died of a blow to the head and stab wounds to the neck, and Marks had been shot, beaten and stabbed. The Larsons had been shot ``execution style,'' King County prosecutors say. Leemah Carneh, 19, was charged yesterday with four counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the deaths. Prosecutors said Carneh was ``obsessed'' with Peterson although he never had any contact with her. Peterson's mother, Mary Marrero, said after the memorial that she had never heard her daughter talk about Carneh. ``She never mentioned nobody to me but her boyfriend,'' Marrero said. As students filled the bleachers in the Boulevard Park school's gymnasium to overflowing, five high school boys opened the memorial with an a cappella ballad, snapping their fingers as they sang and smiling at times. Other students read poems, shared memories and sang songs for Peterson. They also remembered Evergreen graduate Kristopher Kime, who died after being beaten during a Seattle Mardi Gras celebration; Melissa Messer, an Evergreen student who died in 2000 after being hit by a car on her way home from school; and Viliami Tuifua, who played football for the school and died in 1999. Principal Jon Kellett said students and staff have been comforted by the community's support. ``We're holding up. We all have moist eyes,'' Kellett said. A crisis team of social workers, school counselors and nurses met with students Monday and Tuesday, and students received help as needed the rest of the week, he said. Students, staff and family members will attend a closed memorial service for the four victims today. Three years ago, Peterson applied for the Upward Bound program, which helps students from low income families who will be the first generation to attend college. She was a dedicated and persevering student, teacher Fina Marino said. ``That kid never complained,'' Marino said after the memorial. ``My last contact with her was Wednesday when she was chasing after me trying to get my SAT textbooks. She was adamant about taking her SATs early,'' she said. Classmate Wendy Carrillo remembered teaching Peterson the salsa, and said she was a true ``traveler'' of life. ``I see this as her continuing her journey,'' Carrillo said. ``All violence is uncalled for ... We can never get time back.'' She encouraged students, staff and family to ``Think creatively and live expressively as our friend Josie had taught us to do.'' The class put together a slide show that played while the high school band played ``American Elegy,'' a song written for the victims and survivors of Columbine with both triumphant and mournful melodies. ``I think Josie would really love this moment,'' said Crosby Andrews, Peterson's father. ``She came from a hard time and tribulations. ... She achieved the most beautiful thing in the world, and that was love,'' Andrews said. MEMORIAL FUND * Members of the Evergreen High School cheer squad have established a ``Josie Grace Peterson Memorial Fund''
`Obsession" possible motive in 4 killings - Bloody clothes, cheerleader"s photo found in suspect"s home
Matt Joyce
Prosecutors say a 19-year-old man's obsession with a popular high school cheerleader might have driven him to kill the girl and three other people in Des Moines last week. Leemah Carneh was charged yesterday with four counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the deaths of Evergreen High School junior Josie Peterson, 17; her boyfriend Taelor Marks, 17; and his grandparents, Richard and Leola Larson, 63 and 64. Peterson, a well known cheerleader at Evergreen High in Boulevard Park, also was enrolled in advanced classes in the school's college preparation program. King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng yesterday would not say how Carneh knew Peterson. ``It appears he had an obsession with her that appears to be a possible motive,'' Maleng said. ``She had no interest in him or a relationship with him. But it appears he had an intense interest in her.'' Friends of Taelor Marks said he and Carneh had known each other several years after attending the same schools. Marks and his grandparents were shot at the Larsons' home and Marks also was stabbed in the neck. Peterson died after being struck on the head and stabbed in the neck. Calling the crime ``one of the most brutal murder cases'' he has seen, Maleng would not say if his office will seek the death penalty. However, the charge carries only two possible penalties: life in prison without the possibility of release, or death. The victims' bodies were found March 9 at the Larson home in the 900 block of South 226th Place in Des Moines. Police believe they were killed sometime early that morning or the night before. Prosecutors allege Carneh killed the Larsons execution style, shooting them in the head at close range as they lie on their living room floor. They said Carneh might have killed the Larsons first, then waited for Marks and Peterson to arrive home. Marks was shot in the back, beaten in the head and stabbed in the neck, according to charging papers. Carneh is being held without bail at the Regional Justice Center jail in Kent until he is arraigned next Thursday. He was arrested early Monday morning when police raided a home in Spanaway where he lived with his mother and stepfather. Police were directed to the home after they found Marks' car, a distinct 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, that they believe Carneh sold to a Kent man for $300. Police are testing a .357 magnum handgun they said they found at the Spanaway home to see if it fired the rounds that killed the victims. They also said they found bloody clothes, a photograph of Peterson and other items belonging to the victims, including the Larsons' luggage and a ring that Peterson had given Marks for Christmas. No one else is believed to be involved in the murders, Maleng said. But police are asking for help from anyone who saw Carneh or his 1987 Mercury Cougar in the Larsons' neighborhood. Carneh previously has been charged with burglary, assault and car theft in King and Pierce counties. He also was twice convicted for illegally possessing a firearm -- once in September 1997 and again in May 1999. PHOTO by Gary Kissel: Melvin White, 17, a senior cheerleader at Evergreen High School and freshman Elle Sauro, 14, console one another in the school's gymnasium after a memorial for cheerleader Josie Peterson and three other students who have died since 1999. See Page A3 for a story on the memories of the murder victim shared by teachers, family and friends .
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CORRECTIONS: TAELOR'S CAR was purchased from his grandmother who purchased it from a family friend, it was never owned by Leemah Carneh.
Taelor had gone to the last years of elementary school and the first year of middle school with Leemah Carneh. They were acquaintances and never had a friendship beyond being friends of friends.
Murder defendant mentally incompetent, psychologist testifies
Jamie Swift
KENT -- A psychologist for the defense of a 19-year-old man charged in the four murders in a Des Moines home in March testified yesterday the suspect is mentally incompetent.
In response, psychologists at Western State Hospital in Steilacoom will take 15 days to evaluate Leemah Carneh, who is charged with four counts of aggravated murder.
``They're trying to use mental illness in their mitigation package to avoid the death penalty,'' said Lorraine Marks, the mother of one of the slain. ``They're just grasping at straws.''
A decision on whether Carneh would be executed if he is found guilty has been delayed more than four months. The defense's suggestion that Carneh is mentally ill will delay that decision until at least November.
Carneh is charged in the murders of Taelor Marks and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, both 17, and Marks' grandparents, Richard and Leola Jane Larson, 63 and 64. Bodies of the victims were found March 8 in the Larsons' home in Des Moines.
The next court date in the case is Sept. 25, when the judge is expected to review the reports on Carneh's competency, Marks was told.
King County prosecutors say it was Carneh's obsession with Josie Peterson that may have spurred the grisly killings. Court charging documents accuse Carneh of killing the Larsons execution style, shooting them in the head at close range after forcing them onto the living room floor.
Marks was shot in the back, beaten in the head and stabbed in the neck, prosecutors said. Peterson was beaten and stabbed.
When Carneh was arrested at his parents' home south of Tacoma in Spanaway, police found a gun, bloody clothes, a photograph of Peterson and other items belonging to the victims.
Yesterday's hearing wasn't scheduled until Thursday and ``it threw me for a tailspin,'' Lorraine Marks said yesterday. ``I hate seeing that guy.''
Last modified: August 25. 2001 12:00AM
Judge: Slaying suspect incompetent to stand trial
Kathleen R. Merrill
KENT -- A King County judge ruled yesterday that a man accused of killing four people is incompetent to stand trial.
Judge Dale Ramerman's ruling puts the prosecution's case against Leemah Carneh, 19, on hold. In his ruling, the judge cited a mental evaluation that says Carneh is delusional and paranoid, has grandiose illusions and believes there is a conspiracy against him.
Carneh is accused of shooting, bludgeoning and/or stabbing Richard Larson, 63, his wife Leola Larson, 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his girlfriend Josie Peterson, 17, all of Des Moines. The bodies were found in the Larsons' home on March 9.
Wearing her daughter's cheerleading shirt, with Josie on the sleeve in big green letters, Peterson's mother Mary Marrero -- who saw the man accused of murdering her daughter for the first time yesterday -- sobbed out loud when Ramerman first mentioned Carneh's competency.
After the hearing, she said she thinks Carneh is faking any mental illness and likened him to the terrorists who attacked the nation two weeks ago.
``Are they gonna be given a mental evaluation? No. So, why should he? He's no different,'' Marrero said with tears welling up in her eyes. ``He shouldn't be given any more chances. This trial should start.''
But Carneh's evaluation and Ramerman's ruling postpones the prosecution of Carneh. It will be at least five or six months before treatment could result in Carneh being deemed competent to stand trial.
Senior deputy prosecutor Roger Davidheiser told Ramerman that Carneh's evaluation shows he doesn't understand the nature of the proceedings and cannot help his attorneys prepare an adequate defense.
The psychologist who evaluated the murder defendant recommended that he be returned to Western State Hospital for up to 90 days for treatment and medication that will make him competent.
Defense attorney Louis Frantz said he agreed with the evaluation.
``We cannot receive any reasoned input from him,'' Frantz said.
State law sets standards for mental competence and calls for treatment of a defendant to the point where he can assist with his defense.
However, Carneh has refused to take any medication. Ramerman set an Oct. 9 hearing date where the state will argue Carneh should be forced to take that medication.
Carneh's attorneys, Frantz and Carl Luer, stood on each side of him throughout the hearing yesterday.
A court order keeps media members from photographing Carneh. Several times, he put a legal pad to his face, so as not to be seen by reporters sitting in the jury box.
At other times, he looked around, glancing at Peterson's friends and family and briefly watching an unidentified woman who viewed the hearing through a window in the courtroom door.
Evaluations done by a defense psychologist, and one just completed at Western State Hospital, were sealed, but not before a debate between the judge and Frantz.
``We're under an obligation to administer justice openly,'' Ramerman said, adding ``the public has a right to know and wants to know.''
Frantz argued that the evaluations should be likened to medical records, and therefore confidential.
``Just because he's charged with a crime doesn't mean he should have to give up his confidentiality interest,'' Frantz said. Carneh also wasn't told before or during those evaluations that his comments would be made public. Carneh might also be hesitant to be open and honest in the future if he knows the information he gives will be unsealed, Frantz said.
``There is no harm to the public by sealing these,'' he said. ``There could be significant harm to Mr. Carneh if they're not.''
Ramerman asked media members their thoughts yesterday. Those present agreed that the documents are of public interest and that the records should be unsealed.
Ramerman, who yesterday read a few details from the most recent evaluation in open court before sealing it, said he will address the issue again at Carneh's next hearing. He told those in the media that they were welcome to speak then, as well as file motions regarding the issue.
``I think the presumption is that they should be unsealed and that the burden is on the defense to prove why they should remain in a sealed position,'' Ramerman said.
Carneh is being held without bond in Seattle. Reed Holtgeerts, commander of the Kent Division of the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention said the RJC Jail can't house ultra security inmates, which is how Carneh is classified.
Murder suspect applied for passport before and after slayings - Police find e-mails days after crime
Kathleen R. Merrill
KENT -- Although attorneys have argued and a judge has ruled Leemah Carneh incompetent to stand trial for the March murders of four people in Des Moines, e-mails found by police in the days after the crime show that Carneh was attempting to get a passport just before and after the slayings.
Six e-mails, part of a search warrant executed by police, show that Carneh began trying to get a passport in mid-February.
The last e-mail in the series was sent to Carneh by his sister in Monrovia, Liberia, on March 12, just four days after prosecutors say Carneh killed a teen-age girl who had spurned him. He is also accused of killing the girl's boyfriend and the boy's grandparents.
That e-mail says Carneh's sister had given his documents to the passport director, but that additional photos were needed to finish the paperwork. A passport is a government document that must be carried by someone traveling abroad to show the holder's identity and citizenship.
Neither Carneh's attorneys nor prosecutors would comment on the e-mails yesterday.
Prosecutor Roger Davidheiser said he won't talk now about the e-mails, pieces of a large collection of evidence. And defense attorney Louis Franz said he does not have the expertise to say whether the e-mails speak to Carneh's competence at the time of the murders.
In one of the e-mails, Carneh alternately pleads and seems to threaten a go-between Carneh and his sister.
``You will not get the money until she calls me and tells me that she has the letter. I am trusting you and her with my money. 200 dollars is all i have,'' Carneh wrote on Feb. 19. ``Please get my papers. Don't lie or steal from me.''
Police found the bodies of Richard Larson, 63, and his wife Leola Larson, 64; their grandson, Taelor Marks, 17, and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, also 17, in the Larsons' home on March 9. If convicted on the four counts of aggravated murder that he's charged with, Carneh could get death or life in prison without parole.
Prosecutors haven't yet made a decision whether to ask for the death penalty. All decisions in the case have been put on hold until Carneh is declared competent to stand trial.
Judge orders murder suspect medicated - - Psychosis prevents 19-year-old from assisting in defense -
Jeffrey M. Barker
KENT -- Leemah Carneh, accused of killing four people in Des Moines, will be returned to Western State Hospital and forced to take medication for psychosis, a King County judge ordered yesterday.
Carneh, who will be 20 years old tomorrow, has been ruled incompetent to stand trial.
A psychologist and a psychiatrist from Western, both of whom have spent time with Carneh, said yesterday that medication is the only reasonable way to return Carneh to competence.
Attorneys yesterday did not discuss Carneh's psychological state at the time of the murders.
Carneh is accused of shooting, bludgeoning and/or stabbing Richard Larson, 63, his wife Leola Larson, 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his girlfriend Josie Peterson, 17, in the Larsons' Des Moines home. The bodies were found March 9.
Josie Peterson's mother, Mary Marrero, brought a sign to court yesterday. On it were the faces of the four murder victims with a caption asking when will they get their justice.
Judge Dale Ramerman asked Marrero to put the sign away, saying he didn't think it was appropriate.
``In this case, nothing is appropriate,'' Marrero replied. She lowered the sign but clutched it throughout the proceeding.
Carneh, in a white ultra-security inmate uniform and with handcuffs around his wrists and ankles, remained mostly silent. He turned toward the courtroom's door each time it opened.
When psychologist Dr. Janet Ruth Schaeffer testified that patients who refuse medication are restrained and injected, Carneh shook his head back and forth and forced out a laugh.
Despite his objections, that scenario could be the case for Carneh, who has refused to take medication. He has also been suspicious of food given to him and of those involved with his case.
Schaeffer testified that Carneh suffers from ``delusional thinking with paranoid and grandiose themes,'' specifically related to his case.
``The delusional thought content renders Mr. Carneh unable to assist his attorneys in a rational way,'' Schaeffer said. ``Right now, I believe Mr. Carneh is psychotic.''
And she added she had not determined whether Carneh's symptoms of mental illness root from the stress of his current situation or are the beginnings of a chronic illness such as schizophrenia.
One of Carneh's attorneys, Louis Frantz, has agreed with Western's findings, saying he could get no ``reasoned input'' from Carneh.
Yesterday, however, Frantz asked that Carneh be given time rather than medication, in order to regain his competence.
``Mr. Carneh does not want to take the medication,'' Frantz said.
Dr. Nitin Karnik, a psychiatrist at Western, also testified yesterday. He reiterated much of what Schaeffer told the court -- chiefly that medication is the only way to treat Carneh.
Judge Ramerman previously expressed a willingness to make Carneh's psychological evaluations available to the public but yesterday he cited a state law and ruled that those documents remain sealed.
The South County Journal had requested the evaluations be unsealed.
However, the Revised Code of Washington states that inmates' medical records be released only to involved attorneys, physicians, corrections officers, the court and the patient.
Ramerman noted, however, that much of what is written in Carneh's psychiatric evaluation was revealed in court yesterday.
Family, friends celebrate slain teen"s birthday
Kathleen R. Merrill
SEATTLE -- With laughter and tears, family and friends remembered Josie Peterson last night, not as a murder victim, but as a fun-loving and vibrant girl who was looking forward to her 18th birthday.
About 50 people gathered last night to celebrate what would have been Josie's birthday. Mary Marrero said she held the party to thank her daughter for her goals and achievements and to recognize the hard work she had done in her less than 18 years of life.
``It's about them paying her respect,'' Marrero said, as tealight candles spelling her daughter's name flickered on a table behind her. ``I had to celebrate her birthday, otherwise I would've just laid in my bed and cried.''
Peterson, a junior and cheerleader at Evergreen High School, was murdered along with her boyfriend Taelor Marks, 17, and his grandparents, Richard and Leola Larson, 63 and 64. The victims' bodies were found March 9 at the Larsons' home in Des Moines. Police believe they were killed early that morning or the night before.
The 19-year-old charged with the slayings, Leemah Carneh, has been declared incompetent to stand trial and is being treated, by court order, at Western State Hospital.
But last night wasn't about Carneh or the slayings. Family friend Johnny Escajeda, who has known Marrero since she was 10 and knew Josie her entire life, said it was a time to be happy.
``We don't want to be sad. It's a birthday party,'' he said with a hearty laugh. ``Besides, Mary's had enough pain already. It's time to smile.''
And smile Marrero did as she recounted how her daughter would tell her she looked forward to becoming an adult.
``She'd say, `I can't wait 'til I'm 18 and you can't tell me nothing,'''Marrero said with a chuckle, shaking her head. ``Now she's 18 and I can't, because she's not here.''
A familiar face to many in the family was Lorraine Marks, who helped Marrero with some of the party plans. Marks is the mother of Taelor and the daughter of Richard and Leola. She said she came to the party to celebrate the last of the victims' birthdays, ``the ones they haven't been present for.
``And cause I love Josie,'' she said with a wide smile. ``Last year, I helped Taelor shop for Josie's birthday present. That was a lot better, last year, than this year.''
Terry Dixon, Josie's cheer coach, and Diana Lane, a fellow cheerleader, said they came to the party to support Marrero and to honor Josie's memory. They smiled as they looked at a table decorated with candles, two cakes with
Josie's picture on them and other photos. Josie smiled down on them, from a huge poster on the wall of her in her cheerleading outfit.
Josie's sister, Priscilla Andrews, 14, could not find the words to say how she has gone on without her big sister.
``I just...It's been...I don't know what to say,'' she said as tears filled her eyes and her hands tried to convey what she wanted to say. ``You still think about her once in a while, all the time, but you have to keep going.''
Those who attended the party talked quietly and took pictures. And they laughed as they remembered Josie. Marrero thanked the partygoers for coming, and received applause for her remarks.
``I thank God today that I have the rest of my children,'' she said. ``Josie, today, on this special day, I miss you. And I know things are going to turn out all right.''
Marrero then read a note her daughter had written to her before her death, saying, ``You're not only my mom, but also my friend.''
Marks then thanked Marrero ``for giving my son the woman who gave his heart peace and made him feel complete.''
In a quiet moment on the balcony, Marrero said she doesn't know how she has gotten through some of the tragedies in her life. Her sister, Becky Marrero, has been missing since Nov. 12, 1982 (one year before Josie was born), believed to be a victim of the Green River killer. Her remains have never been found and the killer has never been caught.
Shortly after that, Marrero's father died, then her brother.
``And then this happened, this year, and I was very devastated,'' she said, tears filling her eyes and spilling over onto her cheeks. ``I want justice done, at least in this case, so I can rest.''
Shortly afterward, all the partygoers stepped onto the balcony, yelled ``Happy birthday, Josie!'' and released balloons into the sky.
1-4-02: State says suspect in 4 murders competent
Kathleen R. Merrill
KENT -- State doctors believe Leemah Carneh is now competent to stand trial for the killings of four people in Des Moines, but it will be another five weeks before a judge makes that decision.
Carneh, 19, is accused of shooting, bludgeoning and/or stabbing Richard Larson, 63, his wife Leola Larson, 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his girlfriend Josie Peterson, 17. The bodies were found in the Larsons' home on March 9.
Carneh, apparently heavily medicated, attended what was supposed to be his competency hearing yesterday in King County Superior Court at the Regional Justice Center in Kent. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Roger Davidheiser said state mental evaluations and reports on Carneh are done. But defense attorney Louis Frantz said defense doctors need more time to finish their reports.
Carneh will return to court Feb. 12 for Judge Dale Ramerman to hear doctors from both sides before making a decision on Carneh's competency.
Davidheiser and Frantz expressed concern about where Carneh will be housed until then. Davidheiser said he wanted to make sure Carneh ``continues to take the medication, which is responsible in part for restoring his competency.''
After the hearing, Frantz agreed his client's attitude was different from previous hearings, where Carneh looked around furtively. An earlier evaluation said Carneh was delusional, paranoid and believes there is a conspiracy against him.
``He is much less animated and much more subdued, but he's doing as well as can be expected,'' Frantz said.
Ramerman ordered Carneh to be medicated in October, because Carneh had refused. But Frantz said his client's attitude has changed and he should be housed in the jail's psychiatric ward where he will be better monitored.
``Mr. Carneh has indicated a willingness to take his medication,'' Frantz said. ``And we encourage Mr. Carneh to take the meds voluntarily.''
Frantz asked that jail staff not be ordered to force medication and Ramerman agreed, instead ordering jail staff to call the defense and prosecutors immediately if Carneh refuses his medicine.
The location of future hearings and the trial was also discussed. Davidheiser and Frantz said it would be more convenient for Carneh's case to be moved to Seattle. They mentioned the cost of transporting Carneh to Kent and the convenience of holding hearings closer to the jail. But Ramerman, expressing a desire to keep the case in Kent, said for now he would address only the next hearing.
``...in this case that occurred in South King County, I think it's important if possible that the trial be held in the general location that the matter occurred...'' Ramerman said.
Another issue that arose yesterday was one of discovery, where prosecutors are supposed to turn over evidence to the defense. Defense attorney Carl Luer said it took a long time to get forensic evidence, which has hindered the defense's investigation into the crime.
After a defense discovery motion in October, they received blood spatter and toolmark analysis, a latent print report, a DNA report and case notes, Luer said. They are still waiting for fiber and trace evidence analysis and an elemental bullet fragment analysis, he said.
Elemental analysis is to compare bullet fragments to see if they're from the same lot and manufacturer, Frantz said.
Analysis of bloodstains from a crime scene can help show the origin and direction of bloodshed, and what type of impact caused it. According to a crime analysis Web site, it can suggest the number of gunshot or stab wounds, where a victim was during and after the crime, the type of weapon used, the amount of force used by the offender, how long ago the blood shed took place, also if the offender was right or left handed, which injury came first, and significantly, whether or not there was blood on the assailant.
Toolmark analysis is the evaluation and analysis of trauma to body tissue to determine the type of tool and amount of force used.
Luer asked Ramerman to set a deadline for discovery. Davidheiser said he expected to get the fiber and trace evidence analysis at the end of January and the elemental analysis of the bullet fragments from the FBI Crime Lab in March. Ramerman said he would expect the information to be shared when it is received.
A backlog at the Washington State Police Crime Lab is responsible for the delays, Davidheiser said.
There was an obvious backlog at the lab because of the recent case of Gary Ridgway, Davidheiser said. But, he added, the Carneh case is a quadruple murder case with its own complexities and the case's evidence has ``proceeded through the lab quite efficiently.''
Ridgway was charged last month with four of 42 known Green River murders.
``There's a ripple effect to the delays because we need to have our own experts do testing,'' Luer said, adding that many items from the crime scene were tested for DNA.
The defense is still working on a mitigation packet, asking prosecutors not to seek the death penalty against Carneh. That packet is supposed to be completed by Feb. 22.
Murder suspect ruled competent
Jeffrey M. Barker
SEATTLE -- Leemah Carneh, the 19-year-old man accused of killing four people in a Des Moines home last March, was deemed competent to stand trial yesterday.
Carneh is on anti-psychotic medication, but still suffers from delusions of grandeur and paranoia, according to medical testimony.
But Judge Dale Ramerman ruled that Carneh meets Washington state's definition of competency, a bar set low enough that a defendant can have no memory at all and still stand trial.
The King County Prosecutor's Office has until March 22 to determine whether to seek the death penalty -- a date that was pushed back a month yesterday. Carneh's trial should begin by June.
Carneh is accused of shooting, bludgeoning and/or stabbing Richard Larson, 63, his wife Leola Larson, 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his 17-year-old girlfriend Josie Peterson, 17. The bodies were found in the Larsons' home on March 9, 2001.
Mary Marrero, the mother of Josie Peterson, cried with relief when the judge made his ruling. Marrero has said she believed Carneh was faking mental illness.
Carneh sat motionless through much of the three-hour hearing, laughed a few times, and twice responded ``no'' when Ramerman asked him directly if he had any questions or objections.
``The court has observed that the defendant's affect is more dynamic -- and generally seems more alert and would appear to be tracking things more closely,'' Ramerman said of Carneh's actions in court. Ramerman added that he believes Carneh ``can assist in his own defense.''
Carneh's attorneys, Louis Frantz and Carl Leur, argued that Carneh is not competent and submitted a psychiatric evaluation saying so.
``Mr. Carneh still believes he is being charged because others are jealous of him and his name,'' Frantz said. ``He is still grandiose. He is still paranoid.''
The defense submitted two psychiatric evaluations. One, by Dr. Dale Watson, said Carneh is ``on the cusp of being competent, but not yet there.'' The second evaluation, by Dr. George Woods, states Carneh is competent. But the defense attorneys did not refer to Woods' evaluation in court.
A psychiatrist who evaluated Carneh at Western State Hospital and prescribed his medication -- now six milligrams of the anti-psychotic medication Risperidoneper day -- said Carneh is competent, though Carneh still claims he is being framed.
``I don't know if it's truly a delusion or a defense mechanism,'' said Dr. Brian Waiblinger.
He and Western State psychologist Dr. Janet Schaeffer met again with Carneh on Monday at the King County Jail and still say he is competent to stand trial.
Waiblinger and Schaeffer testified that Carneh's delusions have improved.
Schaeffer said Carneh has discounted some of his previous beliefs, for example that Ramerman, prosecuting attorney Roger Davidheiser and King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng know that he is innocent but are charging him with the murders because they are jealous of his name and his good looks.
Also he no longer says that certain evidence in the case does not exist -- like blood stains on his pants and Peterson's jewelry found in his home. Instead, ``he had rational -- albeit not robust -- reasons for why those items were found in his home,'' Schaeffer said.
The Western State doctors also testified that Carneh has displayed a psychotic symptom called clang associations, where the sound of a word triggers a string of thoughts in his mind.
The first part of his last name -- Car -- triggers ``a whole series of thoughts about cars and their importance,'' Schaeffer said.
But those associations don't interfere with Carneh's ability to help his attorneys, Schaeffer said.
Instead of being held at the Regional Justice Center in Kent, yesterday's hearing was held in Seattle, where Carneh is being housed.
Ramerman said the hearing was held in Seattle partly because of the high cost of transporting ultra-security inmates and partly because Ramerman has been reassigned to the juvenile court in Seattle. Ramerman said yesterday that he plans to continue presiding over Carneh's case.
Ramerman has said -- and most Superior Court judges agree -- that a crime should be tried in the community in which it occurred.
Four remembered a year later
Kathleen R. Merrill
RENTON -- One year ago today, police found the bodies of Dick and Jane Larson, Taelor Marks and Josie Peterson in the Larsons' Des Moines home.
The four had been murdered -- shot, stabbed and bludgeoned; the Larsons first, then their teen-age grandson and his girlfriend, who returned to the home later in the evening of March 8.
But at an anniversary tribute last night, family members and friends said their gruesome deaths weren't what their loved ones were about. And during the three-hour memorial that included an open mike session and ended with a candle lighting ceremony, guests were told to make the most of their lives.
Shadowed by a large sign that had the victims' names and large, capital letters reading, ``WHAT'S REAL CAN'T DIE,'' Lorraine Marks talked about her father, mother, son and his girlfriend, reminding people to live their lives with love.
``We are all so much more than we see when we look at each other,'' she said, adding that people should remember that and treat everyone with kindness and consideration.
Marks admitted to the crowd of about 50 that she sometimes wishes she had been at the home the night of the killings ``to go with them because I loved them so much.
``When your dreams involve people, it's really hard to let those dreams go.''
Guests watched a videotape of photographs of the victims that flashed on the screen to popular music, including Diana Ross' ``Ain't No Mountain High Enough.'' Peterson's mother, Mary Marrero, began to weep bitterly when she saw the first baby picture of the second of her three daughters. Just a day earlier, Marrero had received her daughter's hair back from police, who had kept it for analysis, she said.
Taelor Marks' godmother, Stacy Reynolds, warned those who might attend the trial of the accused killer, 20-year-old Leemah Carneh, or hear news about it.
``Our family and friends did not die as peacefully as we all hope our loved ones would die,'' she said, wiping away tears.
Carneh is charged with four counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the slayings of Larson, 63, his wife, 64, Marks and Peterson, both 17. Prosecutors say Carneh was obsessed with Peterson, although he never had any contact with her. They have until March 22 to decide if they will seek the death penalty.
Reynolds also mentioned Taelor Marks' planned heart surgery and a book given to him about dying. One seemingly prophetic passage dealt with those who die violent deaths and said that the victims ``leave before they know the tragedy.''
She also cautioned people not to think about revenge because ``it will only add a burden to your heart.'' The best revenge, she said, is ``to live your lives the way they did, with love and grace and courage and honor.''
Marrero spoke about her daughter, causing people to laugh when she recounted memories of finding out Peterson was in love.
``If I could have given my life to save all four family members, I would have,'' she said.
Peterson's father, Carsby Andrews, talked about trying to make his little girl -- who was a tomboy -- tough, so she would make it in the world. He also said he was glad she was in love and that she got to experience that before dying.
He also talked about a letter he wrote to his daughter after her death.
``You always had the ability to be somebody and you are. You're God's child,'' he said. ``I'm writing you because I know you live. You've gone on to glory.''
Quadruple-murder trial to begin in Dec.
Kathleen R. Merrill
The trial for Leemah Carneh, charged with the murders of four people in a Des Moines home last March, has been scheduled to start at the end of the year.
Several dates pertaining to the trial were set at a case- setting hearing held yesterday at the King County Courthouse in Seattle. Also put on the record was Prosecutor Norm Maleng's decision not to seek the death penalty against Carneh if he is convicted of any of the four counts of aggravated first-degree murder with which he is charged.
Carneh, 19, is accused of shooting, bludgeoning and/or stabbing Richard Larson, 63, his wife, Leola Larson, 64, their grandson, Taelor Marks, 17, and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, 17. The bodies were found in the Larsons' home on March 9, 2001.
The trial date is set for Dec. 9, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the King County Prosecutor's Office.
Several days will likely be spent in December with senior deputy prosecutors, Roger Davidheiser and Jim Konat, and defense attorneys, Carl Luer and Louis Frantz, addressing pre-trial motions.
Jury selection is expected to begin on Jan. 6, Donohoe said.
Luer said yesterday that the defense team asked for the trial to start later than that.
``We have most of the last year been working on the mitigation package and compiling that information,'' Luer said of the packet they gave to Maleng to persuade him not to seek the death penalty.
``So we're really now beginning the process of preparing for trial,'' Luer said. ``We really didn't get any forensic discovery until November and December, and by then we were really working on getting the mitigation package finished.''
Carneh is still receiving anti-psychotic medications so he remains competent to stand trial. He is being held in the King County Jail in Seattle without bail.
If convicted of any of the slayings, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole
Judge OKs defense"s request to have quadruple murder suspect re-evaluated
Kathleen R. Merrill
The man accused of killing four people in Des Moines last year is headed back to Western State Hospital for another mental evaluation.
Attorneys for Leemah Carneh believe that although the 20-year-old is still taking medication prescribed to make and keep him competent to stand trial, it either isn't working or something else is wrong.
``We always had concerns about his competency,'' attorney Carl Luer said yesterday. ``His ability to discuss the case and to assist in his defense has significantly diminished in the last few months.
``It's to the point where we think it needs to be looked at again by experts,'' Luer added. ``What happens next depends somewhat on what the doctors there tell us and what our own doctors conclude as well.''
Carneh is charged with four counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the slayings of Richard Larson, 63, his wife, Leola Larson, 64, their grandson Taelor Marks and his girlfriend Josie Peterson, both 17. The bodies were found in the Larsons' home on March 9, 2001.
Prosecutors have said Carneh was obsessed with Peterson although he never had any contact with her.
King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng decided last month not to seek the death penalty, mainly because of Carneh's mental problems.
In the Thursday hearing, Superior Court Judge Dale Rammerman also granted a defense motion to examine four suitcases of clothing that police found in Carneh's attic when he was arrested.
Prosecutors say that some or all of the clothes belonged to Marks, according to court documents.
Quadruple murder suspect gets 3rd competency hearing
Kathleen R. Merrill
Leemah Carneh will attend a competency hearing tomorrow, his third since he was charged with the murders of four people in Des Moines last year. Carneh, 20, is charged with four counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the slayings of Richard Larson, 63, his wife, Leola Larson, 64, their grandson, Taelor Marks and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, both 17. The bodies were found in the Larsons' home on March 9, 2001. King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng decided last month not to seek the death penalty, in part because of Carneh's mental problems. Prosecutors have said Carneh was obsessed with Peterson although he never had any contact with her. Superior Court Judge Dale Ramerman will rule whether Carneh is competent to stand trial. Ramerman has presided over the case since it was filed and has ruled on Carneh's competency twice -- on Sept. 25 and Feb. 12.Carneh's attorneys, Carl Luer and Louis Frantz, first raised the issue of competency in August. The two had a doctor perform an evaluation and that doctor found that Carneh was incompetent. Carneh was then sent to Western State for a 15-day evaluation period. Doctors at the state-run psychiatric hospital agreed with the defense evaluation and Carneh was found incompetent by Ramerman, who ordered him to be treated at Western State for a 90-day period to restore his competency. Western State doctors wrote in a December report that Carneh was competent. A doctor's report then stated that Carneh's ``delusional thinking is greatly reduced, although not completely eliminated.'' But Carneh still also believed he was being framed for the crime, the report said. ``Some of Mr. Carneh's delusions have remained constant. He has always believed that there is a special meaning and importance to his last name,'' Frantz wrote in a May affidavit to support requesting the current Western State evaluation. ``He is convinced that others are jealous of his last name and want to hurt him because of it. ``Recent conversations with Mr. Carneh have shown that some of the delusions are returning. He again firmly believes these delusional thoughts are true and these thoughts are again becoming the main focus of his thinking,'' Frantz wrote. Carneh insists that he is being framed because the police are jealous of him. ``He is surprised that anyone would be persuaded by the evidence given that the police have so clearly framed him,'' Frantz wrote. ``He has lost the ability to rationally consider his circumstances and his case.'' The legal standard for competency in Washington is whether a defendant has the capacity to understand the nature of the proceedings and the ability to assist in his or her own defense. If Carneh is again ruled incompetent, he will again be sent to Western State for treatment, then returned to the courts for a new decision on his competency. The case will be on hold while Carneh is incompetent or he is undergoing treatment. The trial is scheduled for Dec. 9 and pre-trial motions will be addressed before jury selection, which is scheduled for Jan. 6.
Murder suspect attacked - Frustrated by delays, victim"s sister hits man at competency hearing
Kathleen R. Merrill
The younger sister of a murder victim attacked the man charged with the killing, causing chaos in a Seattle courtroom yesterday.
As Leemah Carneh, 20, ducked down and tried to put his hands over his head, officers scurried to protect him and court personnel sat mo-mentarily bewildered before springing into action.
Superior Court Judge Dale Ramerman presiding over a hearing to determine Carneh's competency to stand trial for the murder of four people in a Des Moines home, ordered the courtroom emptied of spectators. One of two officers in the room grabbed Carneh by the arm and pulled him to safety near the bench. The other officer called for backup in the King County Courthouse on his radio, after helping pull the teen away from Carneh.
About one dozen police officers and King County sheriff's deputies stormed the courtroom within minutes.
Shouting continued outside as family members and friends reacted to being thrown out of court and officers tried to determine from each other what had happened and what they needed to do.
Prosecutors said they were unsure if there would be any repercussions for Priscilla Andrews, the 14-year-old sister of Josie Peterson, who was 17 when she was stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the Des Moines home of her boyfriend's grandparents in March 2001. Peterson's 17-year-old boyfriend Taelor Marks also was killed, along with his grandparents, Richard and Leola Larson, 63 and 64.
Several family members had made comments during yesterday's tension-filled hearing in which Ramerman determined that Carneh is again incompetent to stand trial for the slayings. He will be sent to Western State Hospital for up to 90 days for doctors to try to treat his unspecified psychotic disorder and return him to competency, as they have before.
Mary Marrero, the mother of Peterson and Andrews and the sister of a Green River killer victim who has never been found, said several family members have been on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Andrews, 14, said late yesterday that she only remembers parts of the incident.
``I couldn't stand it anymore. I know I hit him with my purse, but I don't even know what I was doing,'' she said. ``I was just thinking over and over that he killed my sister with his hands. It made me feel really horrible to be there.
``When I came back in, I was so mad. I don't know. I had my purse in my hand and just hit him, although I don't really remember hitting him,'' she said.
Andrews said it is hard to go to court repeatedly and look at Carneh, knowing ``that he killed all of them, brutally killed them, in their own home. And now they're protecting him in the courtroom.''
Marrero said she believes Carneh is faking mental illness; Andrews agreed and said it's hard to have justice repeatedly delayed.
``After a year, it really gets worse in a way,'' she said. ``I can't even see Josie or hear her or talk to her in any way.''
Carneh appeared pale, surprised and shaken after the courtroom was emptied.
The defense attorneys tried to protect their client in the incident that took only seconds to unfold.
``Are you OK?'' Louis Frantz asked his client once Carneh was again seated.
His response could not be heard.
A statement from a student who attended the hearing, as part of his working with the prosecutor's office, said Andrews hit Carneh with her purse two or three times, according to James Konat, senior deputy prosecutor.
``We have to worry about being attacked by spectators now?'' defense attorney Carl Luer asked Ramerman when the hearing was over. ``They should be kept out of the courtroom from now on.''
One of the spectators called out to Carneh, telling him he was a dead man, and another said something to Frantz about knowing his name, Luer told the judge.
Luer said he had never been involved in such an incident.
But Senior Deputy Prosecutor Roger Davidheiser, another prosecutor handling Carneh's case, was in a courtroom a few years ago when something similar occurred.
He handled a case where a man had killed his wife, and his cell phone inadvertently dialed someone during the assault and shooting, which was recorded on an answering machine.
Prosecutors played the tape of the murder at sentencing and the victim's daughter attacked the defendant, he said.
``So, that kind of thing isn't unprecedented,'' Davidheiser said. ``If we can anticipate it, we always ask for extra security.''
But he said he was surprised at Andrews' outburst and that prosecutors don't condone such behavior.
``We're focusing on making sure justice is done in this case, that proper procedures are followed, that things are done according to the law,'' Davidheiser said. ``That's what we're about.''
Family members and friends of the Des Moines victims have attended two previous competency hearings for Carneh -- on Sept. 25 and Feb. 12 -- and other hearings regarding evaluations and treatment for him. Prosecutors have said Carneh was obsessed with Peterson, although she never had any contact with him.
On more than one occasion, family members and friends of the victims have voiced frustration with the delays over the competency issues.
Marrero laughed at the ruling yesterday that once again found Carneh incompetent for trial.
And at some point, Andrews -- wearing a dress and high-heeled platform shoes -- left the courtroom.
``Maybe he's not incompetent. Maybe he's just pretending,'' Lorraine Marks, the daughter of the Larsons and mother of Taelor Marks, called out.
The judge began to address the spectators' behavior when Carneh turned and glared at Marks.
``Don't look at me. You killed my family!'' Marks yelled.
Ramerman then admonished her directly.
``Are you going to be quiet, ma'am, or are you going to leave?'' Ramerman asked.
``Is he going to look at me or is he going to turn around?'' Marks asked in reply.
Carneh then put his face in his hand and began to rub his beard over and over, while the two officers in the back of the courtroom shuffled nervously.
Tears filled the eyes of Marks and Marrero.
Andrews re-entered the courtroom as the attorneys were addressing whether Carneh's court-ordered treatment will delay the Dec. 9 trial date.
Andrews appeared to be headed toward her seat but as neared the front row, she instead bolted toward Carneh, with onlookers jumping to their feet and shouting.
Statements were being taken and witnesses interviewed yesterday, according to Deputy Greg Webb with the King County Court Protection Unit. He said he was unsure whether a crime had been committed and charges would be filed against Andrews.
Carneh is expected to next appear in court on Aug. 13. Ramerman said he would address spectators and their behavior before the start of that hearing.
Judge warns families to control outbursts - Victims" relatives could be barred from proceedings in quadruple-murder case
Kathleen R. Merrill
SEATTLE -- Family members and friends of four people slain in a Des Moines home last year will still be able to come to court, but if they misbehave one more time they might be out for good.
One relative has already attacked the alleged killer in open court, and his defense attorney says their threats resemble those of a lynch mob.
That's why Superior Court Judge Dale Ramerman was asked Tuesday to bar from the courtroom people related to Richard and Leola Larson, Taelor Marks and Josie Peterson.
Attorneys for Leemah Carneh, 20, of Pierce County, who is charged with killing the four, asked in a motion filed late Monday that family and friends of the victims be excluded from any court proceedings in the case.
Prosecutors have said Carneh was obsessed with the 17-year-old Peterson, although she never had any contact with him. Marks, 17, was her boyfriend; the Larsons, 63 and 64 respectively, were his grandparents. The victims were found stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the Larsons' home on Mar. 9, 2001.
The motion was in response to a May 30 competency hearing in which Peterson's 14-year-old sister, Priscilla Andrews, ran at Carneh and hit him with her purse two or three times. She later said she remembered little about the incident and that she was frustrated by numerous delays in the case.
Four officers guarded the courtroom Tuesday, as opposed to the usual two. The front two rows in the spectator section were also blocked by signs.
On more than one occasion, family members and friends of the victims have voiced their frustration with more than a year of delays. Some have made derogatory comments out loud in court.
Defense attorney Carl Luer said the request was based on ``their assaultive, threatening and disruptive behavior during previous court proceedings.''
The courtroom has sometimes had ``a lynch mob atmosphere'' in which Carneh does not feel safe, Luer said, adding that he and co-counsel Louis Frantz cannot adequately represent Carneh, nor focus on the proceedings, with such disruptions.
``If we're going to be able to try this case, this stuff needs to stop,'' Luer said. ``It's extreme.''
Ramerman said he wouldn't bar everyone from court, but was considering barring Andrews and Lorraine Floyd, Marks' mother and the Larsons' daughter. At the May 30 hearing, Floyd made several remarks, including a threat to Carneh and Frantz.
But Senior Deputy Prosecutor James Konat argued that the family members have rights, and one of them is to come to court for the duration of the case.
``They're not spectators, judge, they're victims,'' Konat said. ``Lorraine Floyd is a victim like no other. She lost her son, she lost her mom, she lost her dad, all at the hands of, we believe, Leemah Carneh.''
Ramerman then asked Floyd if she would like to address how she felt about being excluded from the courtroom and if she could offer him some assurance that such behavior wouldn't continue. Floyd said it was never her intention to threaten anyone, and that she feels the need to come to court to ``stand tall for the victims'' and represent them, because they can't do so themselves.
She also mentioned the times Carneh has glared at the family members who come to court.
``We feel very vulnerable. It's frightening to us. It's scary to us,'' she said as she fidgeted and held her hands tightly together. As she spoke, she looked like a petulant child trying to explain her behavior to Ramerman, who took on the demeanor of a stern father.
``Having the knowledge that we have of what happened in our home...we are terrified and outraged,'' Floyd continued after taking a deep breath. ``With that kind of knowledge...it's hard to sit close to someone who's very dangerous.''
Ramerman said two additional officers will now attend each court proceeding for security. He also told spectators that if there are any more outbursts, the person responsible will be ordered out of the court immediately and attorneys will then discuss whether that person would be let back in.
If something else happens, the judge could also bar family members from the courtroom and allow them to watch the proceedings only on a television monitor, something he won't hesitate to do to guarantee a fair trial and dignified court proceeding, Ramerman said.
If anyone gets kicked out of future court proceedings, that could be for an extended period of time. The case has been on hold for more than a year while Carneh has been on several occasions declared competent, then incompetent to stand trial. Another competency hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18 and 19.
Murder suspect found competent - Dec. 9 trial date set for man charged with killing four people in Des Moines
Kathleen R. Merrill
SEATTLE -- Leemah Carneh is again competent to stand trial for the March 2001 killings of four people in a Des Moines home.
Superior Court Judge Dale Ramerman's ruling Wednesday puts Carneh back on track for his Dec. 9 trial date. However, if defense attorneys decide to use a mental defense, such as insanity, that date could be put off.
In the meantime, Carneh, 20, of Pierce County, will be housed at Western State Hospital in Steilacoom, rather than the King County Jail in Seattle.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Roger Davidheiser told Ramerman that he believed Carneh either didn't take his medication or didn't take the right dose, which could be one reason Carneh became incompetent in late April. Carneh attorney Louis Frantz disagreed with that, but said that Carneh ``does better'' at Western State and asked for him to be housed there.
Carneh did not speak during the hearing that lasted less than half an hour.
He is charged with four counts of aggravated first-degree murder for the slayings of Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64 respectively, their grandson, Taelor Marks, and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, both 17.
The victims were found stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the Larson's home on March 9, 2001.
The case has been delayed for more than a year while Carneh has on several occasions been declared either competent or incompetent to stand trial.
A Sept. 5 report from Western State doctors saying Carneh is again competent was sealed by Ramerman on Wednesday. Defense attorneys have successfully argued that the evaluations and reports in his case are equal to medical reports, which are confidential.
That Carneh is competent to stand trial means he understands the charges against him and the nature of the proceedings, and that he is able to assist in his defense.
Defense seeks more time in Des Moines quadruple murder case - Judge wants to hold trial at justice center in Kent
Kathleen R. Merrill
KENT -- Attorneys for Leemah Carneh will ask for a delay Friday in the December trial set for the Pierce County man charged with killing four people in a Des Moines home last year. The delay is sought because the attorneys want more time to interview and hire mental health experts who they hope will testify that Carneh was insane at the time of the slayings. The defense strategy, which changed a few weeks ago, gives his attorneys a different focus, defense attorney Carl Luer said Wednesday, just after a hearing in the case was postponed to Friday. Carneh wasn't brought to the Regional Justice Center from Western State Hospital where he is being held until the trial. That the current hearings are being held at the RJC is news in itself. Superior Court Judge Dale Ramerman has said publicly that he wanted to hold Carneh's hearings here, as well as his trial. He said last year that he felt hearings and trials should be held as close to the communities in which the crimes occurred. But ultra-security inmates are no longer housed at the RJC jail in Kent, which has moved some of South County's biggest cases, including that of accused Green River killer Gary Ridgway and accused cop killer Charles Champion, to Seattle. Those inmates are housed in the King County Jail, just a block away from the downtown courthouse, which is attached by a private walkway. Ramerman said Wednesday that he still wants to find a way to hold the trial here and he has asked jail officials to see Carneh when he's brought for Friday's hearing and have them judge whether he can be held locally for the trial. Since the death penalty is no longer an issue in the case, Carneh isn't an ultra-security inmate, Luer said. And the case's designation, unlike Ridgway's and Champion's, hasn't been changed from Kent to Seattle, he said. Senior Deputy Prosecutor Roger Davidheiser said Wednesday that he doesn't want to delay the case further. ``We obviously have concerns about this case dragging on past the second anniversary of the homicides,'' he said. ``But up to this point, it's all been unavoidable,'' defense attorney Louis Frantz countered. ``You can't ignore his incompetency all this time and say the case is dragging on too long.'' Frantz said defense attorneys need to find and interview witnesses who knew Carneh's mental state over the past few years. Carneh, 21, is charged with four counts of aggravated murder for the slayings of Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64 respectively, and their grandson, Taelor Marks, and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, both 17. The victims were found stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the Larsons' home on March 9, 2001. Prosecutors say Carneh was obsessed with Peterson, although she had no contact with him. The case has been delayed repeatedly while Carneh was alternately declared competent and incompetent to stand trial. That he is competent to stand trial means he understands the charges against him and the nature of the proceedings, and that he is able to assist in his defense. Ramerman plans to ask the defense for more and specific reasons Friday why they don't want their client photographed in court. Ramerman issued an order early in the case saying Carneh's face could not be photographed, but said he wants to revisit the issue.
Defense seeks trial delay for man charged in quadruple killing
Kathleen R. Merrill
KENT -- Saying he's been incompetent for most of the last two years, attorneys for a Pierce County man charged with killing four people in a Des Moines home last year will ask today to have his trial moved to May 1.
In their request, attorneys for Leemah Carneh, 21, said that as recently as May, their client thought doctors at Western State Hospital wanted to draw his blood so they could drink it, ``to gain his strength and attributes,'' one of many delusions he has clung to since the killings.
Carneh also believed ``that the devil was jealous of him and was working with the prosecutor,'' ``that the devil was in one of the rooms on the 7th floor of the King County Jail,'' and that the case against him was ``a complex web of conspirators who were out to get him because of his name and jealousy about his superior powers and appearance,'' the request said.
``We have been without a client for much of this case,'' the attorneys wrote in the request.
Carneh is charged with four counts of aggravated murder for the slayings of Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64 respectively, and their grandson, Taelor Marks, and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, both 17. The victims were found shot, stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the Larsons' home on March 9, 2001.
Superior Court Judge Dale Ramerman found Carneh incompetent from August to December 2001, then again from May 2 to Sept. 18 of this year. However, his attorneys, Louis Frantz and Carl Luer, believe he was incompetent much of the rest of the time that has passed since the killings.
In the request, they say Carneh's mental condition then and now shows he had not achieved the level of competence that they thought he had when he was ruled competent.
``The importance of his name was one of his most persistent delusions,'' Frantz wrote in an affidavit filed to support the request for delaying the trial. ``He was `Car'. People were clearly jealous of that, they also wanted to be `Car'.
``At one point, Mr. Carneh explained that `You must understand why wickedness is done to you in the name of the car, otherwise when you get to heaven you won't get to be the Car,''' Frantz wrote.
``During a conversation in mid-July, for the first time, Mr. Carneh was able to provide a version of the events that was not a product of his delusions,'' Frantz wrote. ``The version was very vague, however, and at times inconsistent.''
The documents do not detail what Carneh's version is. Previously, he had denied any involvement in the slayings, including when his attorneys presented him with ``forensic evidence that showed the victim's blood on his clothing.''
He told them the evidence was planted or was not blood, but grease.
Carneh, who is being housed at Western State to maintain his competency through medication, is currently scheduled to go to trial on Dec. 9.
Victims' relative frustrated over trial delay in quadruple murder case
Kathleen R. Merrill
KENT -- ``Unemployed, frustrated and heartbroken'' is how a relative of three of four people killed in a Des Moines home last year described herself after learning the man charged won't go to trial for at least another five months.
The trial for Leemah Carneh has been moved to May 5, nearly two months after the second anniversary of the slayings.
Carneh, 21, is charged with killing Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64 respectively, their grandson Taelor Marks, and his girlfriend Josie Peterson, both 17.
The victims were found shot, stabbed and bludgeoned to death in the Larsons' home on March 9, 2001.
Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.
Lorraine Marks, Taelor Marks' mother and the Larsons' daughter, expressed her frustration after Thursday's hearing in which the request to move the trial from Dec. 9 to May 5 was granted. She said she feels victims have fewer rights, and resources, than defendants.
``Every day of my life I spend dealing with the business of my family's murders,'' Marks said. ``There's cemeteries, probate, the court case. It's a constant climate of instability for us.''
She said she hasn't been able to get a job because employers don't want to give time off for repeated court appearances. And she feels she must be there as much as possible to see the court case through to the end.
``It's important to me to get a dangerous predator confined to a place where he's not capable of hurting anyone ever again,'' she said. ``I think it's my responsibility to ensure that.''
Marks said she is also frustrated by the law, which she calls a system ``of legal loopholes and hurdles'' that ``has nothing to do with justice for the victims.''
Carneh's attorneys successfully argued Thursday that their client has been incompetent to stand trial much of the time since the killings, and now that he's competent they have much work to do.
That includes finding and hiring experts, and allowing them to do tests and interviews and reports, to support their claim that Carneh is not guilty by reason of insanity.
Louis Frantz said the trauma his client suffered as a child in Liberia ``may help explain what prompted this incident.''
He also mentioned mental illnesses and possible post traumatic stress disorder as things that might have affected Carneh at the time of the slayings.
Marks said she is offended by every mention of Carneh's Liberian experience.
``Post traumatic stress disorder?'' she said. ``I think it's offensive to other immigrants and descendants of immigrants that if you come from a war-torn country that you will come to America and become a mass murderer.
``He needs to be in prison, not a hospital but prison, for taking four lives that still should be being lived.''
Superior Court Judge Dale Ramerman also ruled Thursday that Carneh can be photographed in court, lifting a previous order barring the media from photographing him during proceedings.
Carneh, who is being housed at Western State Hospital so his competency can be maintained through medication, is scheduled to return to court Dec. 5 for a status conference.
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