Fryberg’s Attorneys Seek To Bar Mentions Of Marysville Shooting During Trial

The father of the shooter at Marysville-Pilchuck High School is scheduled to go on trial in a Seattle federal court next week.

Raymond Fryberg, Jr. faces charges of unlawful firearms possession. But his lawyers say any mention of how his gun was used would prejudice the jury.

TRANSCRIPT:

Investigators say Jaylen Fryberg used his father’s handgun to kill four students and wound one at Marysville-Pilchuck High School in October 2014 before fatally shooting himself.

His father Raymond Fryberg was arrested last March. Raymond Fryberg is charged with purchasing guns despite a protection order against him. That order was never entered into the federal database for gun background checks.

Raymond Fryberg’s attorneys say their client’s interrogation on the day of his arrest contains numerous references to the shooting. They want to exclude the interview as evidence, saying the school shooting is unrelated to whether Fryberg bought his guns legally. They say “allowing even the faintest hint that Mr. Fryberg’s case is somehow tenuously connected” to the shooting will deny him a fair trial.

Fryberg’s attorneys also sought a change of venue, away from Seattle. But U.S. District Judge James Robart denied that request. He says he’ll make sure jurors know the distinction between the Marysville shooting and the charges against Fryberg.