Attorney General Will Not Seek the Death Penalty Against Pedersen or Grigsby

PORTLAND, Ore. - U. S. Attorney Amanda Marshall announced today that Attorney General Eric Holder has decided not to seek the death penalty against defendants David Joseph “Joey” Pedersen or Holly Ann Grigsby for the 2011 murders of David Jones “Red” Pedersen of Everett, Washington, Leslie Mae “Dee Dee” Pedersen of Everett, Washington, Cody Faye Myers of Lafayette, Oregon, and Reginald Alan Clark of Eureka, California.

U.S. Attorney Marshall stated, “While I understand the public interest in this matter, we have rules that limit the release of information and the scope of public statements. The process by which this decision was made is confidential, and I cannot comment further about it except to say that it entailed a careful and detailed consideration of all the circumstances of this case.”

A federal grand jury indicted the pair in August 2012 on racketeering and other charges, including five potential capital offenses.  Trial is set for July 7, 2014 before U. S. District Judge Ancer L. Haggerty.  An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant should be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The official notice is attached Here.