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Friday, January 20, 2006

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Decisions You Never Want To Make

For both of them

Grant Everson (aged 20 - photo) was sick of his parents. They'd been on his case to get a job, told him he was shiftless. He helped them at their insurance business, but they didn't even pay him. He'd done some work for his grandmother and she'd promised to give him a used car, but then his dad had talked her out of it. His folks were a major drag and he'd had enough.

If they were out of the picture, Grant would get one half of their insurance money (his sister Nicole, who lived in Colorado, would get the other half). Grant and three of his buddies were going to use the insurance money and go open a coffee house in Amsterdam. They'd carefully plotted everything out. At least one of the boys had already applied for a passport, and they'd even drawn up a business plan for their coffee shop. They needed about $20,000 to get started and then they'd make the rest as they went along by selling cannabis.

Of course, Grant's folks would have to die in order to make their dreams come true.

~~~~~
This past Saturday night, Grant and his buddy Joel Beckrich (20) decided that it was time. They let the other two boys, 20-year old Christopher Fuhrman and 17-year old Michael Gulden, know what was going on and set up an alibi: they'd all four been together smoking pot, playing video games and passing out at Beckrich and Fuhrman's apartment.

Shortly before dawn on Sunday morning, they drove to a place not far from Grant's home. They walked the rest of the way. Grant's mom, 52-year old Nancy Everson (photo), heard them come in and went to investigate. She found them armed with box cutters and a shotgun for backup. The plan was, Grant would slit their throats while they slept. Since they'd woke Nancy up, though, they knew they'd have to use the shotgun.

Nancy demanded to know what they were up to, and Grant lost his nerve. "I can't do this," he told Joel. "You'll have to do it."

Beckrich took the shotgun and asked Nancy Everson, "head or chest?" but Nancy didn't answer. "Head or chest?" he repeated. "I don't believe it!" Nancy replied. She'd known this boy for years, and the other boy was her own son. They didn't really intend to shoot her! She got angry, and then she ordered Grant to "get the hell out of my house." She advanced on them and Joel fired a warning shot. Nancy lunged for them and Joel shot her in the face from a distance of about five feet.

Tom Everson woke to shouting and barely registered that it was his son and his wife before the first blast jolted him fully awake. He ran to the closet to retrieve his firearm and heard the second blast. He heard no exclamation from his wife, and knew that she must be dead. Waves of grief washed over him as he stood there, transfixed, and carefully pulled the closet door shut. He tried to decide if he could shoot his own son. Was his son going to shoot him? Was he going to die standing there in the closet? When the Viet Nam vet heard noises in his bedroom, he decided to flee. He escaped through the closet window and fled to a neighbor's home, where he called 911. Grant and Joel fled, not knowing how much Tom had heard.

A few hours later, Grant was arrested. He was a couple of blocks away, heading for home. He'd been at his friends' apartment, he explained -- they'd spent the night smoking pot, playing video games and then passing out for a few hours. As of last report, he was still sticking to that story. Joel Beckrich gave up the pretense shortly after being picked up. The other boys soon followed suit, all of them admitting their part in the scheme.

Everson and Beckrich, 20, are each charged with one count of first-degree murder, which carries a punishment of life in prison without the possibility of release. Both also are charged with one count of first-degree attempted murder.

Christopher Fuhrman, 20, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree attempted murder.

Michael Gulden, 17, whom prosecutors intend to try as an adult, is charged with three counts of aiding an offender.

In court Wednesday, the other three boys were accompanied by lawyers and parents. They are all being held without bond at this time. All three were shaken and uneasy.

Grant, on the other hand, was said to be flippant and almost jovial. He had no attorney and his surviving parent chose not to appear. He nodded, sometimes in an exaggerated manner, when the Judge asked him if he understood his rights. "I assume you're not going to be able to make $1 million bond," the judge asked Everson. "Uh, I can hope," the defendant responded.

Then the judge asked him if he would have time later in the day to fill out an application to be represented by a public defender. "I'm pretty sure I'll have time," Everson replied, before being escorted back to jail.

On Friday Grant Everson and two of his friends walked into Carver County Court. His father, Tom Everson, watched him, expressionless. Grant sat at the table with his lawyers and appeared to look in his father’s direction, but there was no other interaction between the two of them.

Grant Everson is being held on $1 million bail. Everson’s lawyer asked that the bail be reduced, but the judge said Everson could be a flight risk and denied the request. Joel Beckrich, 20, is also being held on $1 million bail. Christopher Fuhrman’s bail was reduced to $75,000. The fourth of the accused, Michael Gulden, 17, will appear in court next Wednesday.

What do you want to bet that by the time this gets to court, Grant Everson will be claiming he tried to stop his friend, Joel Beckrich (the self-admitted triggerman) but that Beckrich wouldn't. Grant was just a victim, don't you know. [1, 2, 3, 4, Google It!, earlier on The Original Musings]

Kate blogs at The Original Musings.

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posted by Kate at 4:44 PM