Eakin apologizes to Sorger family for his involvement

Teen sentenced to 14 years in murder charge

EPHRATA — More than two years after the beating and stabbing death of a 13-year-old Ephrata boy, one of the boys charged in the case has admitted to and apologized for his involvement in the crime.

Jake Eakin on Thursday admitted his presence at the death of Craig Sorger, who was murdered Feb. 15, 2003 in Oasis Park. Eakin, now 14, pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree murder by complicity in Sorger's death. He will now spend 14 years behind bars for his role in the crime.

In a courtroom filled with family members, Eakin broke down crying during questions by Grant County Superior Court Judge Ken Jorgensen about his change in plea. He was solemn however, when he entered his plea of guilty to the amended charges. He later apologized, in a statement he had written himself, directly to the Sorger family.

"I'm sorry that I have brought so much pain and broken hearts to your family," Eakin read, "I just wish I could do something to fill in the missing hole in your family."

Eakin attorney Michelle Marie Shaw told the courtroom Thursday that her client felt horrible that he was at the park that day. She said it was her client's intention to take responsibility for his actions.

"He felt sorry that he lied," Shaw said of her client, "and that the Sorger family was left wondering what happened to their child."

In admitting the crime Eakin also named co-defendant Evan Savoie as the one who murdered Sorger. Both were arrested and charged with the crime when they were just 12 years old. As part of the plea, Eakin also agreed to testify against Savoie at trial.

Through Shaw, Eakin told the court the details to what happened that day at Oasis Park. The three boys were dropped off at the park that afternoon, and Eakin said through Shaw that Savoie was making comments that he was going to go on a killing spree. It was reported that Savoie was teasing Sorger a little bit that day.

Eakin and Sorger were building a fort, Shaw said, when Savoie told Sorger to get down on his hands and knees and touch the ground. Eakin then saw Savoie drop a rock on Sorger's back, later getting on top of Sorger and administering blows. Shaw said her client did not know that Savoie had a knife, and thought he was just hitting Sorger.

Eakin then tried to leave, when Savoie reportedly teased him with a name. Embarrassed, Eakin grabbed a stick, striking Sorger up to 20 times. But Shaw said Sorger was already dead by the time Eakin grabbed the stick.

"Jake said 'I don't know why I picked up that stick,'" Shaw told the court.

Both Eakin and Savoie were charged with first-degree murder shortly after Sorger's death in 2003. They had been scheduled to stand trial as adults May 16, but Eakin decided to change his plea to guilty, calling for a special trial on Thursday. The State Supreme Court upheld a ruling earlier this year, that the boys were to be tried as adults in the case.

Eakin's pleas still leaves a trial scheduled in the Savoie case for next month. Savoie attorneys Randy Smith and C.E. Hormel filed a motion to dismiss the case, citing government misconduct and arbitrary action in the case. According to Superior Court Administrator Mindi Finke, that motion will go before the court at 4 p.m. May 4. "I believe the court needs to take in consideration how this shock has paralyzed him," Shaw told the court before sentencing.

Representatives from the victim's family are given the opportunity to speak during sentencing, but overwhelmed with emotion the Sorgers declined, father Chuck Sorger saying he wouldn't be able to.

Attorneys for both sides had reached an agreement to sentence Eakin to eight years, a sentence that would require Jorgensen to find mitigating circumstances in order to sentence down from the standard range. Jorgensen sentenced Eakin to the middle of the standard range of 123-220 months, a sentence of approximately 14 years.

Jorgensen said that there had been a lot of talk about the maturity levels of the two boys, and talked about the reading levels Eakin had advanced in the 26 months he had been in detention.

"I think he's fairly bright to be honest with you," Jorgensen said.

Jorgensen remarked about just visiting with his 2-year-old grandchildren, and said that a 2-year-old may not know they are hurting someone when they do.

"You get to be 5, 6, 7, the concept of hurting somebody you begin to understand," Jorgensen said, adding that by the age of 12, a child definitely understands they are hurting someone and what it means to hurt someone.

White said Eakin will likely be held at the Grant County Juvenile Detention Center until arrangements are made to transfer him to the state center in Shelton. The eight years attorneys had agreed to would have kept Eakin in Juvenile for the full sentence. With 14 years, he will likely be mixed in with an adult population about six months after he turns 18.

Eakin attorney Alan White said he had hoped the judge would have imposed the sentence both sides were asking for, but had kind words for the Sorger family.

"Our hearts go out to the Sorger family," White said, "They must really be suffering right now."

Because Jorgensen imposed a standard range sentence, White said there can be no appeal. He said though that he and Shaw would look at the criminal rules to determine whether to file a motion to reconsider in the near future.

Prosecutor Ed Owens declined comment after the hearing.