Abrams pleads not guilty to first degree murder

Seeks to represent himself in August trial

EPHRATA — Dustin G. Abrams spent yesterday in court as his own attorney in a case in which he faces a first degree murder charge for allegedly killing Michael B. Mallon near Soap Lake.

Abrams, 21, of Moses Lake, who was sentenced to prison last year for stealing guns from Mallon's home and has allegedly confessed to killing the 79-year-old Mallon during an Oct. 18 interview taped by Kim W. Cook, a detective with the Grant County Sheriff's Office, has now entered a plea of not guilty to the murder charge.

Five days after Mallon was last seen on March 26, 2004, a search warrant was served on a Stratford residence where officers with the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team discovered a number of firearms, ammunition and some old coins that were found to be Mallon's. The residents at the home said that a man named Dusty had left the guns and coins there and that he had stolen them from Mallon, according to Cook's report.

Abrams was subsequently arrested for the theft of that property and was given a 13-year prison sentence.

While Abrams was imprisoned at Walla Walla State Penitentiary, Mallon's body was found in a shallow grave near his rural home in Willow Lakes on Nov. 4, 2004, after Abrams told a private investigator where the remains could be found. An autopsy conducted later by Forensic Anthropologist Kathleen Turner determined that the cause of death was a gunshot to the back of the head.

Now facing murder charges, Abrams wants to continue representing himself, with court appointed standby council provided by Attorney Alan White of Moses Lake, during his trial which is set to begin Aug. 23.

Grant County Superior Court Judge Kenneth L. Jorgensen allowed Abrams to represent himself yesterday, but it remains unclear if that will continue.

"Are you crazy?" Jorgensen asked.

"Not according to state mental health," Abrams replied. "I go into this with my eyes wide open."

According to Grant County Prosecuting Attorney John D. Knodell, Abrams has a constitutional right to represent himself.

Knodell also said that prosecutors will continue pursuing the related first degree robbery charge despite Abrams' claim that double jeopardy would prevent a charge similar to the one he is currently serving time for.

The prosecutor's office is likely to file charges as high as complicity to murder one or felony murder against Abram's 15-year-old brother in the Mallon case, Knodell said.