IA - Gretchen Crooks, 37, murdered, Osage, 24 March 2012

[southernnana]

Noah Crooks, who is now 14-yrs old, continues to be held in a Waterloo juvenile detention center.

State wants financial information from Noah Crooks' father
June 26, 2012 8:01 pm

OSAGE — Mitchell County Attorney Mark Walk is asking the court to order the father of Noah Crooks, the rural Osage teen accused of killing his mother, to file financial information with the court.

William Crooks is also being asked to include in his filing any retainer paid to the law firm of Kutmus, Pennington & Hook P.C. of West Des Moines.
There has been no ruling on the request by a judge. The case is being heard in Mitchell County Juvenile Court.

http://globegazette.com/news/local/...cle_c5891d70-bff3-11e1-bdd8-001a4bcf887a.html

 

[southernnana]

:frown:

I'm still emotionally torn concerning this case.

Crooks’ jurisdiction hearing is scheduled

July 13, 2012 5:03 pm

OSAGE — A hearing to determine how 13-year-old Noah Crooks will be tried on allegations of first-degree murder will be held at 9 a.m. on Sept. 6 in Mitchell County District Court.

The hearing will be closed to the public.

The hearing will determine whether Crooks will be tried as a youthful offender or as a juvenile.

http://globegazette.com/news/local/...cle_8b305054-cd71-11e1-a630-001a4bcf887a.html

As previously posted, if Noah is classed as a youthful offender, he will be tried in district court and will be under court controls past the age of 18.

If he remains juvenile status, he will face allegations in juvenile court, and if convicted he would have the potential of being released at age 18.

 

[rollinginit]

Sometimes I hear a case that just makes my soul weep. This is one of them.

 

[southernnana]

:frown:


Yes ... this case is extremely sad. Prayers for Noah and his family.

Sometimes I hear a case that just makes my soul weep. This is one of them.

 

[buffetoflies]

Haven't read the thread, but did anyone else think, "oh no! Peeples!" ?
I think her son's 11 or 12 though.
(No offense peeples).

 

[LadyL]

Haven't read the thread, but did anyone else think, "oh no! Peeples!" ?
I think her son's 11 or 12 though.
(No offense peeples).

? I'm confused. She posted the thread so it couldn't be her that was murdered. What am I missing?

 

[southernnana]

http://globegazette.com/news/local/c...9bb2963f4.html
August 31, 2012 3:42 pm

Defense Attorneys for 14-yr old Crooks have filed to seek an insanity and diminished responsibility defense.

The notice was filed on Thursday in Mitchell County Juvenile Court by Noah Crook’s attorneys, William Kutmus and Trever Hook. The attorneys stated that psychiatric evaluations conducted by Dr. Michael Taylor of Des Moines and Dr. Anna Salter of Madison, Wis., led them to their decision to use this defense.

A hearing on whether to waive jurisdiction of the case to adult court will be heard at 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, in Mitchell County Juvenile Court. The hearing is closed to the public.

.... more at Link above.

Previously ... a post upthread on June 26 provided by trofanji … indicates that defense attorneys requested that testimony/information from the psychiatric evaluation by state witness Dr. Michael Taylor be suppressed. The reason given was Defendant Crooks Fifth Amendment rights were cited, which protects accused persons from self-incrimination.
As far as I know, the request for suppression has not been ruled on yet.


How the Hearing on Sept 6, 2012, will determine what happens to 14-yr old Noah Crooks:

http://globegazette.com/news/local/...cle_dca911d2-ba3e-11e1-b04b-0019bb2963f4.html
June 19, 2012 1:43 pm

If determined to be a youthful offender, Crooks will be tried in district court and will be under court controls past the age of 18.

If his status remains that of a juvenile, he will face allegations in juvenile court, with the potential of being released at age 18.

 

[southernnana]

I have no words to describe my feelings on the court's decision. But, I do have questions and hope to better express my thoughts another time. It is what it is, he took his mother's life ... and there is the need for justice to be served.

Prayers go out to Noah and his loved ones lease:

http://globegazette.com/news/local/...cle_0a6e2776-0d6c-11e2-aa3f-001a4bcf887a.html
October 03, 2012 10:07 am

OSAGE — Noah Crooks appeared to be “logical, coherent and goal-directed” before, during and after he allegedly shot his mother, Gretchen Crooks, on March 24 in the family’s rural Osage home.

Judge Gregg R. Rosenbladt, in his ruling Wednesday to waive the 14-year-old to youthful offender status, cited evaluations that indicated Crooks could not be rehabilitated by the time he was 18 years of age.

Classifying Crooks as a youthful offender means he will be tried in district court and face charges of first-degree murder, a Class A felony; and first-degree assault with the intent to commit sexual abuse, a Class C felony.

<snipped> and BBM

 

[gxm]

The psych evaluation pretty much says that the kid is a sexual predator and killer by nature. He will not "get better." Too bad he wasn't older and could be tried as an adult. He should be kept away from society for the rest of his life. The judge made the right decision. Unfortunately, he will probably get out at some point and move on to his next victim(s).

 

[peeples]

He pleaded not guilty today

 

[cocomod]

From the link provided above:
http://globegazette.com/news/local/...cle_0a6e2776-0d6c-11e2-aa3f-001a4bcf887a.html

&#8220;I do not believe that at present there is any way to treat a lack of conscience, a total lack of empathy and extreme callousness. I am pessimistic about the chance that any treatment program can claim to successfully treat these traits even with a much longer frame of time.&#8221;

This case is baffling to me. Did the parents know that Noah lacked empathy? How does the father feel now? I know that he was trying to help Noah in his defense, but how does he honestly feel now? How can a child kill his mother, tell LE that he intended to rape her, and then show no remorse?

I am terribly sad about this case and how it must be tearing apart the family and even confusing the community.

 

[cocomod]

He pleaded not guilty today

http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S2801882.shtml?cat=10219

Through his attorney, Noah Crooks pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, and filed notice of intent to pursue a "diminished capacity" or insanity defense.

From the previous article, I cannot see that this defense will stand up. The mental evaluation seemed to indicate that he did NOT have any "treatable" psychological issues. It also indicated that he planned this attack; it was not a spur of the moment thing. So very sad!

 

[cocomod]

Crooks entered not guilty pleas for both his charges and waived his right to a speedy trial. His attorney says they did that to allow more time to build their insanity defense.

&#8220;13 years of age alleged to have committed this act obviously something is wrong,&#8221; said Bill Kutmus, defense attorney.

Crooks' initial court appearances took place in juvenile court which was closed to the public. However, Crooks is now deemed a youthful offender, meaning if convicted the court system would have the option to keep him in the system past the age of 18.

http://www.kimt.com/content/localne...s-Right-to-Speedy/ncMJlv96LUqv8cl6sUwAiw.cspx

&#8220;He's a child, I can tell you that he's a child; I can't get into his mental condition but he's a child he's a young boy,&#8221; Kutmus said.

Also in the courtroom today was Noah's father, William, who was also Gretchen's husband. Kutmus says Noah has the full support of his father throughout this court ordeal.

 

[cluciano63]

He may be a child chronologically but sounds like he is a very dangerous one. One does not outgrow lack of empathy, sociopath traits, etc.

 

[Moxie Vi]

http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S2801882.shtml?cat=10219



From the previous article, I cannot see that this defense will stand up. The mental evaluation seemed to indicate that he did NOT have any "treatable" psychological issues. It also indicated that he planned this attack; it was not a spur of the moment thing. So very sad!

I interpreted the article in the same way, that his issue saren't treatable. It seems like an insanity defense would be a bad idea because he'd be locked up until he was no longer a danger and according to the articles he will ALWAYS be a danger due to his lack of conscience and lack of empathy. Perhaps they nees the time to strategize a new defense.

 

[SyraKelly]

Oh my-He shot her 21 times.What a sad case!!!

 

[chinacat67]

I interpreted the article in the same way, that his issue saren't treatable. It seems like an insanity defense would be a bad idea because he'd be locked up until he was no longer a danger and according to the articles he will ALWAYS be a danger due to his lack of conscience and lack of empathy. Perhaps they nees the time to strategize a new defense.

Or perhaps they are well aware that he should be locked up for the rest of his life but feel he should be locked in a hospital instead of a jail because he is in fact, mentally ill.

If the defense goal is to get him help, to the extent they can (does anyone ever really want to give up on a 13 year old kid??) and keep him safe from himself and others at the same time, then an insanity defense sounds perfect to me.

You essentially have all the docs agreeing he is mentally ill and whether or not he can be rehabilitated doesn't come into play in the insanity defense generally-it's kind of moot because it is based on what he did at the time of the crime, not what he might do 10 years from now.

I think, in fact, it could be grounds for appeal to not take that approach---it has been handed to them on a silver platter.

 

[gxm]

IANAL, but mentally ill and criminally insane are, as I understand it, two different things. Clearly the kid is a cold-blooded killer and would-be rapist. The doctors say he can't be helped so what is there to "give up" on? A bright future as a career killer/rapist?

 

[cocomod]

Or perhaps they are well aware that he should be locked up for the rest of his life but feel he should be locked in a hospital instead of a jail because he is in fact, mentally ill.

If the defense goal is to get him help, to the extent they can (does anyone ever really want to give up on a 13 year old kid??) and keep him safe from himself and others at the same time, then an insanity defense sounds perfect to me.

You essentially have all the docs agreeing he is mentally ill and whether or not he can be rehabilitated doesn't come into play in the insanity defense generally-it's kind of moot because it is based on what he did at the time of the crime, not what he might do 10 years from now.

I think, in fact, it could be grounds for appeal to not take that approach---it has been handed to them on a silver platter.

I agree basically that insanity is the only defense that they can make. However, an insanity defense needs to be backed up by the psychological exam. As I undertand the article (and this is media based so may be biased), it sounds as if the "medical expert" says that he was NOT insane. That he was calculated and reasonable as he planned to murder his mother. Of course, in my eyes, he MUST be insane to kill his mother. However, an insanity defense must be backed up. I am certain that they will get their own medical team to disagree with the initial evaluation and claim insanity whether or not he was "technically" insane at the time. It is true that they must do what they can to defend him; however, even if he is only 13, I sincerely hope that the jury (or judge) does not take this crime lightly.

 

[prd2bokie]

Just wondering if there has been any more news? I am constantly checking into this case on the internet but very little has found. I just can't wrap my head around the sexual part of it. It's all awful but that part blows my mind. I can't imagine what his family is going through.