LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) — Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty if an Idaho white supremacist gang member is convicted of killing a man while he was on the run after shooting officers in a plot to help a fellow gang member escape from prison.
Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman announced Thursday that the death penalty would be sought if Nicholas Umphenour is convicted of a murder charge in the March death of James Mauney, 83, of Juliaetta, KHQ-TV reported.
Umphenour appeared in Nez Perce County Court on Thursday via video from the county jail and is scheduled for an arraignment Dec. 12. He's being held without bond, news outlets reported. Umphenour's attorney, Brian Marx, did not immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.
Umphenour was sentenced to life in prison last month in a separate court case in which he helped inmate Skylar Meade escape from a Boise hospital where Meade had been taken for treatment of self-inflicted injuries. Early on March 20, Umphenour began shooting as corrections officers and Meade were leaving the hospital.
Umphenour shot two of the officers, and a third was shot when another officer mistook him for the shooter and opened fire, police said. All three survived.
Umphenour pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting escape and aggravated assault and battery on law enforcement officers in that case.
Meade and Umphenour then fled, investigators said, driving several hours to north-central Idaho.
Mauney had taken his dogs for a walk on a local trail later that morning and never returned. His body was found miles away near Leland, Idaho.
Police said that soon after, the two men headed back to southern Idaho. Mauney’s stolen minivan was found in Twin Falls, where the men were arrested, police have said.
“Seeking the death penalty is appropriate in this case considering the defendant’s complete lack of regard for the life of Mr. Mauney," Coleman said in a statement. “We’ll continue to fight in both this case and the co-defendant’s case to get justice for the victim.”
Meade also has been sentenced to life in prison in the March 20 escape. He is facing the same murder charge in Nez Perce County and possible death penalty if convicted. He has had a not guilty plea entered for him while his case continues.
FILE - This file photo provided by Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office in Idaho shows Nicholas Umphenour. (Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)
FILE - Nicholas Umphenour, 29, appears in court where he was sentenced to life in prison, Oct. 4, 2024, at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise, Idaho, for helping a fellow gang member escape by ambushing and shooting correctional officers at a Boise hospital. (Ali Al Saedi/KTVB via AP, Pool, File)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The NFL's two Texas teams have just one victory between them over the past month.
That's not to say they're in similar situations heading into the seventh meeting of a series that started with Houston celebrating its inaugural game with a victory over Dallas 22 years ago. Not even close.
C.J. Stroud and the Texans are in much better shape than the Cowboys despite perhaps the roughest four-game stretch the reigning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has seen as a pro.
Houston (6-4) still leads the AFC South despite its current 1-3 skid, while the Cowboys (3-6) are on a four-game losing streak and in serious danger of a three-year playoff run ending. They already have one more loss than in each of the past three 12-5 seasons.
Plus, Dallas is coming off a woeful offensive showing in the first game without Dak Prescott, the franchise QB who just had season-ending surgery on a torn hamstring.
It's not much consolation that the Cowboys are at home Monday night. The defending NFC East champions are 0-4 at AT&T Stadium. They had won 16 consecutive games there before a blowout loss to Green Bay in a wild-card playoff last January.
Three of the home losses this season have been blowouts, including division rival Philadelphia's 34-6 victory last week. The other defeat wasn't nearly as close as the three-point margin.
“I think this is an incredible opportunity for this football team, what’s in front of us, to be into this valley of adversity,” said Mike McCarthy, whose future as Dallas coach is in doubt in the final year of his contract. “And I think to come out of this would be a great story. There’s a ton of work. And the only work we’re really focused on is beating the Houston Texans.”
The Texans are coming off consecutive losses for just the second time in Stroud's two seasons. The other was the 0-2 start to his rookie year. Houston lost to Detroit 26-23 last week despite intercepting Jared Goff five times.
“We’re going through a tough patch right now,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “But, as I told our team, we need that. We need to toughen up. We need to be mentally tougher. We need to figure out ways to finish games and the only way to learn sometimes is through failure.”
Stroud has gone four consecutive games with a passer rating below 100, with just two touchdowns with two interceptions in that stretch. The longest sub-100 passer rating streak of his rookie season was three.
“I am not only a game-manager, but I can also be a game-changer,” Stroud said. “Sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn’t. For me, I am going to keep the swag and kind of like what I told you all last year, Steph Curry can go 0 for whatever, but he is going to keep shooting. That’s me. I am going to keep shooting.”
Cooper Rush played poorly from the start after entering the game against the Eagles with a 5-1 record filling in for Prescott. He dropped a snap to give Philadelphia the ball inside the Dallas 20-yard line, leading to a 7-0 deficit.
Rush had 45 yards passing, the fewest for a Dallas starter since 37 late in 2015, another lost season for the Cowboys. The four-game losing streak is the longest since 2020, when Prescott was out after Week 5 with a broken ankle.
“You’re going to get your (rear end) smacked sometimes,” Rush said. “The beauty is that it’s right back to it the next week. It’s right here right in front of you and it doesn’t really allow you to really dwell on the last game as much.”
Houston has led at halftime each of the past four games, only to lose three. The problems start with an offense that has scored just 15 points with no touchdowns in that stretch. The Texans were shut out in the second half against Detroit after leading by 16 at halftime.
“With the inefficiencies, not only offensively, but defensively, it’s just a matter of us focusing in and being on the details of our job,” Ryans said.
The Cowboys had trouble pressuring quarterbacks when star pass rusher Micah Parsons was out four games with a high ankle sprain. He sacked Philadelphia's Jalen Hurts twice in his return, as did DeMarvion Overshown. The second-year linebacker leads Dallas with four sacks.
“When Micah is on the field, he’s going to create more one-on-ones for others,” McCarthy said. “That was definitely the case.”
Houston should get a boost with the expected return of star receiver Nico Collins, who has missed the past five games with a hamstring injury. Collins was activated from injured reserve last week and should play if he practices all week, as Ryans indicated he would.
Despite the lengthy absence, Collins leads the team with 567 yards receiving. His return will help improve a passing game that has struggled without him and Stefon Diggs, out for the season with a knee injury.
“Any time you get him back, it’s going to help everybody,” Ryans said.
AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken contributed from Houston.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott watches play against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy watches play against the Philadelphia Eagles in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III, left, celebrates with head coach DeMeco Ryans after catching a 15-yard touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush sits on the bench late in the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter)
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill, left, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
