Escaped prisoner charged with murder — and facing death penalty — uses standing silent plea

Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman

(Idaho Statesman) — Skylar Meade, nan captive charged pinch execution successful nan decease of a North Idaho man, stood silent arsenic 2nd District Judge Michelle Evans asked him really he pleads.

Evans entered a not-guilty plea for nan first-degree execution complaint connected Meade’s behalf Thursday afternoon.

The 32-year-old was accused of sidesplitting 83-year-old James Mauney, of Juliaetta, while he was connected nan tally aft ambushing a Boise hospital. A grand assemblage indicted some Meade and Nicholas Umphenour, who constabulary said helped him scheme nan ambush, connected nan execution charges successful June. Police said nan 2 suspects were progressive successful a 2nd homicide successful North Idaho, though nary charges for that decease person been revenge yet.

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Mauney was past seen stepping his dogs and was changeable successful nan head, according to Idaho State Police and a precocious unsealed indictment obtained by nan Idaho Statesman. His assemblage was later recovered successful a desolate area adjacent Leland, astir 30 miles northeast of Lewiston.

The Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office intends to activity nan decease punishment against Meade if he’s convicted. In their filing, prosecutors said Meade had “utter disregard” for quality life and has “exhibited a propensity to perpetrate murder.” To person personification person a decease sentence, prosecutors must beryllium that location were aggravated circumstances to nan killing.

Meade was accused of either “directly committing nan offense” aliases aiding and abetting, according to nan indictment. In Idaho, personification tin beryllium charged pinch first-degree execution moreover if they weren’t nan 1 to perpetrate nan offense.

“Mr. Meade, I conscionable want to make judge that you do understand that this peculiar discourtesy that you person been charged pinch carries pinch it a maximum punishment of up to life successful prison,” Evans asked Meade connected Thursday. “In this case, fixed what nan authorities has requested, it could impact nan imposition of nan decease penalty.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Meade responded.

RELATED | ‘Senseless killing’: Idaho charismatic to activity decease punishment for escaped prisoner

He’s being represented by Anne Taylor, a Coeur d’Alene-based lawyer who is also representing different high-profile suspect Bryan Kohberger. Taylor has been representing Kohberger, accused of fatally stabbing 4 University of Idaho students successful 2022, and was appointed to lead Meade’s defense Wednesday.

Initially, Lewiston-based backstage lawyer Rick Cuddihy was assigned to correspond Meade, but he’s only allowed to enactment arsenic co-counsel successful decease punishment cases. Taylor is qualified to activity arsenic nan lead attorney.

Meade pleads blameworthy to flight charges

Last month, Meade was sentenced in Ada County for 5 felonies, 3 of which were related to his escape. Umphenour pleaded not blameworthy to nan 7 charges against him for his portion successful nan ambush and is expected to look a assemblage successful October, tribunal records showed.

Meade was serving a minimum 10-year situation condemnation astatine nan Idaho Maximum Security Institution adjacent Kuna successful March erstwhile he was taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center successful Boise for self-inflicted injuries. There, he and Umphenour ambushed 3 correctional officers successful a coordinated scheme to break Meade retired of custody, according to rule enforcement.

Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Heather Reilly said Meade feigned his aesculapian injuries by claiming that he’d swallowed personification else’s medication, swallowed razor blades and injured his hand. But erstwhile astatine nan Boise hospital, Meade refused curen from nan aesculapian unit because he knew Umphenour was outside.

Around 2 a.m. March 20, aft nan 3 correctional officers escorted Meade extracurricular of nan infirmary to nan ambulance bay, wherever nan situation van was parked, Umphenour changeable 2 of nan officers from behind, Reilly said. The different serviceman was accidentally changeable by a Boise constabulary officer. All 3 of nan officers survived.

Umphenour and Meade fled successful a vehicle, and rule enforcement recovered them 36 hours later successful nan Twin Falls area.

“This genuinely was an ambush,” Reilly said during Meade’s sentencing connected nan flight charges past month. An Ada County judge sentenced Meade to life successful prison, pinch nan anticipation of parole aft 35 years.

RELATED | Idaho captive transports: What we now cognize astir nan Boise infirmary ambush

Police allege different homicide successful North Idaho

Before Meade and Umphenour were captured successful Twin Falls, nan men drove six hours up to bluish Idaho, wherever section and authorities rule enforcement agencies said they killed 2 men, including Mauney. He was past seen successful nan early greeting of March 20.

That aforesaid day, nan Clearwater County Sheriff’s Office recovered nan assemblage of Gerald “Don” Henderson successful his compartment extracurricular of Orofino. Police said shackles that belonged to Meade, on pinch Mauney’s dogs, were recovered successful nan cabin.

Henderson, remembered by his partner arsenic a quintessential upland man who made his life an adventure, had a little acquaintance pinch Umphenour a decade ago.

Meade and Umphenour haven’t yet been charged for Henderson’s death. Idaho State Police spokesperson Aaron Snell told nan Statesman successful an email Friday that nan “case remains nether investigation” arsenic they are processing grounds and information. Once nan lawsuit is completed, it will beryllium forwarded to prosecutors, Snell said.

“Unfortunately, location is nary timeline for completion, but nan lawsuit continues moving forward,” he added.

With Umphenour’s lawsuit still pending successful Ada County, he hasn’t been transported up northbound to look nan first-degree execution complaint successful Nez Perce County.

Twelve witnesses, galore of whom are members of rule enforcement, were called to attest successful beforehand of nan Nez Perce County expansive assemblage successful June, according to nan indictment. Grand assemblage proceedings are sealed, moreover to those accused of nan crimes, and springiness prosecutors a measurement to complaint personification while bypassing a nationalist preliminary hearing.

His adjacent proceeding is scheduled astatine 1:30 p.m. PST Thursday, Sept. 5.