Murder suspect to be retried, double jeopardy claim denied

A Juneau resident accused of murder for allegedly shooting a man in the Mendenhall Valley will likely be retried after a judge rejected the defense’s double jeopardy claim.

Superior Court Judge Philip Pallenberg denied a motion for dismissal in the trial of Christopher Strawn, who is facing charges of first-degree and second-degree murder, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, third-degree assault and weapons misconduct.

Strawn’s first trial came to an abrupt end on Feb. 14 after his ex-girlfriend blurted out a revelation of domestic violence while testifying. The retrial currently is set to start Oct. 2 and Strawn is next scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 22.

Defense attorney Eve Soutiere had argued for a permanent end to any criminal prosecution of Strawn in the October 2015 shooting death of Brandon Cook, asking for the case to be dismissed due to double jeopardy.

Double jeopardy usually applies to a second prosecution for the same offense after acquittal or conviction. Soutiere argued double jeopardy can also apply to a mistrial if it was caused by prosecutorial overreach; she claimed Assistant Defense Attorney Amy Paige did not adequately prepare her witness or caution her strongly enough against making that statement.

Indictments include sex abuse of minor, assault

• Donald S. Hotch, 70, was indicted by a Juneau grand jury on one count of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, and one count of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, on March 22. The alleged incidents occured in September 2013 and involved a girl younger than 13, according to the indictment. He was arraigned on March 24 and a trial date was set for June 26.

• Frank S. Koenig, 38, was indicted for third-degree assault on March 29 for allegedly placing another person in fear of imminent serious physical injury with a knife. The incident occurred near Hoonah on March 27, according to the indictment. Koenig was appointed a public defender and was arraigned Thursday. A trial date was set for June 26.

• Donald Ray Hosier Jr., 34, was indicted on one count of second-degree assault, one count of third-degree misconduct involving weapons and two counts of third-degree assault.

On March 24, Juneau Police Department officers arrested Hosier after a standoff that had been precipitated by a domestic dispute.

Officers responded to the incident in the 3000 block of Nowell Avenue, after a woman reported being assaulted and locked out of her home by Hosier.

Hosier was reported to be possibly armed with a firearm and in the company of two children, and was refusing to let officers enter, or to come out of the home. After about two and a half hours, police were able to convince Hosier to come out and he was taken into custody without further incident.

Juneau Police arrested Hosier and he was taken to Lemon Creek Correctional Center, where he was held without bail.

Hosier was arraigned in Superior Court on March 30 and a trial date has been scheduled for June 26.