The Barometer Online

Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Peter Strong Court-appointed counsels to Joel Patrick Courtney, Steven Krasik, far left, and Steven Gorham, center, address the media outside the Benton County Courthouse Wednesday.

On Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., Joel Patrick Courtney declined to enter a plea for technical reasons, according to his attorney. The judge entered a plea of not guilty for 14 counts of aggravated murder, two counts of first degree kidnapping, one count of first degree rape and one count of first degree sexual abuse.

Benton County officials have appointed Steven Gorham and Steven Krasik as Courtney's attorneys. Courtney will appear again on May 23 at 10 a.m. to set a schedule for his trial. Courtney's bail was set at $0, effectively keeping him in custody.

Courtney, who is being held in connection with the disappearance of Brooke Wilberger, is currently serving 18 years in New Mexico for the rape and kidnapping of a 22-year-old University of New Mexico foreign exchange student. Courtney pled guilty to charges faced in that case.

Brooke Carol Wilberger was a Brigham Young University student who disappeared from Oak Park Apartments on the outskirts of the OSU campus on May 24, 2004, while she was cleaning lampposts for the apartment complex.

Wilberger was on summer vacation after completing her freshman year of college and was visiting her sister and brother-in-law, who managed Oak Park.

Courtney was being held in a separate room in the courthouse and appeared with one of his defense attorneys via televised conference in the courtroom. The Wilberger family was present for the arraignment.

Oregon prosecutors have said that they will be seeking the death penalty in the case, according to the Associated Press.


Candice Ruud, senior reporter
news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231

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