Judge forced to enter plea for Idaho man charged in shooting, prisoner’s hospital escape
Nicholas Umphenour, 28, the Idaho man charged with shooting correction officers while helping a prisoner who was getting treatment at a Boise hospital escape, stood silent when asked to enter a plea Wednesday afternoon.
Standing silent, also known as standing mute, means that the defendant refuses to enter a plea. Fourth District Judge Nancy Baskin entered a not guilty plea on his behalf instead, as mandated by Idaho law.
Umphenour’s attorney informed Baskin of Umphenour’s decision in court.
“Your counsel has represented that you wish to stand silent and not enter a guilty plea on your own behalf,” Baskin said. “So I will respect that decision.”
Standing silent is an unusual but not unheard of legal move. It was recently used by high-profile murder defendant Bryan Kohberger, who is charged with killing four University of Idaho students in Moscow.
Umphenour’s case will move forward toward a jury trial, which Baskin scheduled to begin Oct. 21.
Umphenour said little throughout his arraignment at the Ada County Courthouse. He acknowledged that he understood when Baskin told him that he could face up to life in prison if found guilty of his alleged crimes and enhancements.
Umphenour is accused of ambushing Idaho Department of Correction officers at Boise’s Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center to help prisoner Skylar Meade, 31 — who was receiving treatment for self-inflicted injuries — escape custody on March 20. Boise police said Umphenour shot two of the officers, while a third was mistakenly shot by police.
Umphenour is facing three charges of assault or battery of officers, one charge of aiding and abetting an escape, one charge of unlawful possession of a firearm, and enhancements for use of a deadly weapon while committing a felony and for being a persistent violator.
Officers arrested the two men in the Twin Falls area on March 21, according to Idaho State Police. Authorities said they also linked the two men to two North Idaho homicides — one in Nez Perce County and another in Clearwater County — that happened in the time window when they were at large.
Prosecutors have yet to charge anyone in those killings.
Meade pleaded guilty May 15 without a plea agreement to escaping and an enhancement for being a persistent violator. His defense attorney, Rob Chastain, said Meade “believes that there’s a strong factual basis” for the crimes.”
Umphenour’s previous criminal record
Court records show Umphenour served three separate sentences in prison as an adult before his most recent arrest.
He was first arrested in August 2014 for unlawfully hunting and taking multiple big game animals.
In March 2016, while on probation, he was arrested and later found guilty of felony burglary. A judge added two years to his sentence for the probation violation. He was released in March 2018.
Less than a year later, in December 2018, Umphenour, who was living in Orofino, was charged and later found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and grand theft in Clearwater County. He was charged with stealing a truck and other tools from a cedar mill in Weippe. Officers said they found the truck burned, according to police reports.
Umphenour began his sentence for those crimes in June 2019 and was released on Jan. 17 this year, according to court records.
