Their buttons read, "Justice for Chris."
Friends and relatives of Christopher Ray, a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death Jan. 23, gathered Monday for his accused killer's first appearance at 3rd District Court.During the brief hearing, 15-year-old Brookes Colby Shumway pleaded not guilty to one count of murder, a first-degree felony, and one count of evidence tampering, a second-degree felony. It was Shumway's first appearance in court after 3rd District Juvenile Court Judge Olof Johansson agreed the teen should be tried as an adult.
Ray's family sat quietly as the schedule for Shumway's trial was mapped out Monday. They elected not to speak during the proceeding but wore identical buttons in remembrance of Ray.
Shumway, too small for his blue jail jumpsuit, stood with wrists and ankles shackled. He spoke only twice during Monday's hearing, to enter his plea and acknowledge he understood the charges against him.
Prosecutors allege that in the early morning hours of Jan. 23, Shumway stabbed Ray more than 40 times using two different knives. Shumway has offered varying accounts of the events leading up to the slaying, ranging from self-defense to an altercation involving several people in which Ray was accidentally stabbed.
A notebook recovered last month from Shumway's cell at the Juvenile Detention Facility suggests two others may have been involved in the altercation between Ray and Shumway: Ray's mother and older sister. Defense attorneys have argued the second knife (which has not been found) and a lock of hair found at the scene of the stabbing indicate a second person might have stabbed Ray.
Shumway's jury trial is set to begin Aug. 8, and will likely last four days. Shumway will appear in court again May 22 for a scheduling conference.
You can reach Jenifer K. Nii by e-mail at jnii@desnews.com