COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho (AP) - The trial of a 16-year-old boy accused of killing his father and younger brother in Coeur d'Alene will begin this week.
News reports said that Eldon Gale Samuel III, 16, is being charged as an adult in the killing of his 46-year-old father, Eldon Samuel Jr., and his 13-year-old brother, Jonathan Samuel, on March 24, 2014.
He was just 14 years old in March of 2014 when investigators said he used a machete and guns to kill both his father and younger brother at this home in Coeur d'Alene. According to court documents, Samuel confessed to the killings, citing his father's abusive behavior and stress caused by his brother's disability. Court documents also said that Samuel did not show any remorse when talking about the killings.
Jury selection began Monday for the trial and more than 130 Kootenai County residents have been summoned for the jury pool. KREM 2 News' Taylor Viydo was at the courthouse where no cameras were allowed inside.
Samuel's lawyer told potential jurors "He did it," on Monday. He said it was the jurors job to decide what Samuel's state of mind was at the time. He added, "It's not a who done it. It's a why done it."'
"Not all killings are murder," he said. Samuel is accused of shooting his father and shooting, stabbing and hacking at Jonathan repeatedly with a machete.
All together, both sides listed 150 potential witnesses that could be called in the case. One of those witnesses is the boy's grandfather, Eldon Samuel the first.
Samuel initially was charged with first-degree murder in both deaths. However the charge was changed to second-degree murder in the father's death after the younger Samuel said his father abused him.
The death penalty is not an option in this case. The trial is expected to last two and a half to four weeks.
