Supporters rally again outside courthouse for 14-year-old accused of murdering father

CANYON COUNTY — Zachary Neagle, the 14-year-old Caldwell boy accused of fatally shooting his sleeping father with a rifle last month, entered a plea of not guilty Friday in 3rd District Court.

His attorney demanded a speedy trial, which means the first-degree murder case must be brought to trial in the next six months.

The Vallivue Middle School eighth-grader was arrested May 19 in connection with the shooting death of his father, 33-year-old Jason Neagle. Police said Zachary Neagle shot his father while the man slept on a couch in the family's Caldwell home. His two younger siblings were in the home at the time of the shooting.

Zachary Neagle did not confess to the murder during police interviews, nor did he deny it when presented with the evidence against him, investigators said.

Pornographic material involving young children was discovered on the computers removed from the Neagle home, investigators said, and a relative interviewed by detectives alleged that Jason Neagle may have abused his son.

Zachary Neagle remains at the Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center in Caldwell on a $300,000 bond. A Canyon County grand jury handed down a first-degree murder indictment against Neagle on June 10.

Case sparks emotions

For the second time since Neagle's May 19 arrest, a group of protesters gathered outside the courthouse Friday to voice their concerns about the boy being tried as an adult.

Zachary Neagle's murder charge has been under hot debate by many who believe the charge should be reduced, that his case should be handled in the juvenile court system or that he shouldn't be in custody at all.

Idaho law requires that anyone 14 years or older charged with murder to be charged as an adult. The law also requires that the defendant in such cases be housed in adult prison, but it allows a judge to move a defendant to juvenile detention center if needed.

Canyon County Prosecutor John Bujak said dozens of people contacted his office protesting the case but that calls have diminished in recent days. The prosecutor acknowledged that the case has presented both an emotional and public opinion challenge, but stated he doesn't have a choice in this situation.

"I think this case has generated a lot of interest from the beginning ...You'd be hard-pressed to find someone sitting in the courtroom and not have their heart go out to him," Bujak said.

But he also stated that the case must go forward under the current system.

"I have a job to do and I can't let my emotional reaction or public opinion persuade me from what I am duty-bound to do," he said.

Neagle's attorney, Charles Crafts, said in a recent interview with the Idaho Press-Tribune that he should know soon whether relatives' allegations of sexual abuse of Zachary Neagle by his father are true. He said he would seek to determine that through access to physical evidence or by other means. He would not go into detail about what that evidence might be.

Bujak said Friday that if the case went to trial, the public would hear evidence pertaining to the sexual abuse allegations, but as of Friday details were not released.

Rallies for boy continue

On the courthouse lawn Friday morning, about a half-dozen protesters held signs and supported Zachary Neagle's not guilty plea.

"I am outraged that they can charge a 14-year-old as an adult," Boisean Shaunna Tucker said.

Tucker said she would like to see serious charges against juveniles handled case-by-case instead of the automatic waiver to adult court.

"Children should not be held to the same standards of culpability as an adult," she said.

Tucker and others at the rally said they believed the current laws are inconsistent and should be changed.

"It's my belief that if he's found guilty he just needs help in a juvenile system and not be put in the adult system," Tucker said.

Teresa Bennett of Nampa organized the rally. She said before Zachary Neagle's arrest made headlines, she never paid attention to the issue of juveniles being tried in adult court.

Bennett said she didn't know what an appropriate sentence would be if Zachary Neagle is found guilty, but that "in this case, a lot of counseling would be more appropriate than a cage."

Bennett said she believes that any juvenile offender being tried as an adult should be tried in juvenile court, and that even if Zachary Neagle changes his plea, she and her group will continue to rally for change.

"We're going to support Zachary to the end. He's a child and he needs our love," she said.

Bennett said she never knew the Neagle family, but on Friday she met Zachary Neagle's mother Cindy for the first time as she exited the courthouse.