The trial for a Juneau resident accused of killing a man “execution style” at a trailer park almost one year ago has again been delayed, this time by the defense’s request for more evidence.
A jury trial for Christopher D. Strawn, 32, was scheduled to begin on Monday. Strawn faces first- and second-degree murder charges, along with manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, in connection to the death of 30-year-old Brandon C. Cook. Strawn was also charged with third-degree assault for placing a second person in fear of injury and with weapons misconduct for the Oct. 20 shooting.
On Tuesday, Strawn’s attorney Eve Soutiere asked Juneau Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg for more time as her requests for information from the Juneau Police Department are processed. Pallenberg agreed to set the trial out for Feb. 6, but first wanted to know what Strawn’s counsel was hoping to achieve during the continuance.
“What we’re looking for is the radio traffic. My understanding is there are approximately five days with radio traffic,” Soutiere said. “… Plus, the SWAT briefings and time logs of all persons who entered the crime scene.”
That crime scene is a Kodzoff Acres Mobile Home Park on Mendenhall Loop Road where prosecutors say Strawn shot and killed Cook, who was helping a friend paint the kitchen in her new trailer at the time. Police found Cook dead on the kitchen floor with a gunshot wound to the back of his neck and head, according to a police officer’s report.
[Prosecutor: Victim show ‘execution style’]
Assistant District Attorney Amy Paige said in court Tuesday that she would like to move forward with the trial according to the already agreed upon schedule date. The trial was initially supposed to take place Jan. 19, 2016.
Paige said she expects to call several witnesses and the trial will be a long and complicated one; moving the date means a lot of rescheduling on the state’s part. On the other hand, she said she doesn’t want to deal with any post-trial issues of noncompliance by the state.
Paige said she spoke with someone at JPD and her understanding is that some of the information Soutiere is looking for has already been gathered and should be available for the defense and prosecution soon, possibly by Wednesday.
“Maybe nothing will come of them, but maybe they’ll be really important. None of us know,” Paige said in court about the requested information. “I don’t want to be the person that stands in the way of everybody having a chance to review them.”
[At Safeway, co-workers and friends remember Brandon Cook]
Judge Pallenberg said he needed to hear from Strawn how he felt about a possible months-long continuance in his trial. Strawn said he was fine with waiting.
“Late January sounds good your honor,” Strawn said.
Strawn looked visibly different Tuesday from when he made his first court appearances eight months ago. He’s put on weight, and his hair is shorter and looks less dishevelled.
Both Paige and Soutiere declined to comment on Strawn’s changed physical appearance or any possible health improvements since his incarceration in October.
The Juneau Police Department never speculated as to what motivated the fatal shooting. ADA Paige signalled in court previously that drugs may have been involved on Strawn’s part.
• Contact reporter Paula Ann Solis at 523-2272 or paula.solis@juneauempire.com.
Brandon Cook, 30
