LUTHERAN QUILTERS – Members of the Quilts for Comfort Group stand between pews draped with some of the 205 quilts they made, in the Sitka Lutheran Church Tuesday. The group made the quilts for five local non-profits and one in Anchorage. The remaining quilts are sent to Lutheran World Relief which distributes them to places around the world in need, such as Ukraine, as part of Personal Care Kits. Pictured are, from left, Helen Cunningham, Kathleen Brandt,Vicki Swanson, Paulla Hardy, Kim Hunter, Linda Swanson and Sue Fleming. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Federal officials on Wednesday approved most of Alaska’s four-y [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
At an hour-long work session with the Assembly Tuesda [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
The story behind a classic, though often misunderstoo [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
The state government risks losing millions of dollars in feder [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy on Wednesday signed a bill that promise [ ... ]
By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, known for its steep mountains [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing Wednesday in competitive division City League volleyball matches, Ca [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 27
At 2:36 p.m. a dead [ ... ]
This Week in Girls on the Run
By Sitkans Against Family Violence
and The Pathways Coalition
During th [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
The future of management and operations at the Perform [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Sitka Sound commercial herring sac roe fishery continued today with open [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
After storming into the state 3A boys basketball brac [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The Queen Bees’ spotless season record ended Tuesday night with a 2-1 loss [ ... ]
By SHIRLEY SNEVE
Indian Country Today
A major renovation at an Alaska museum to attract tourist [ ... ]
By CLAIRE STREMPLE
Alaska Beacon
A presentation about a jump in the number of inmate deaths in [ ... ]
By NATHANIEL HERZ
Northern Journal
Tribal and environmental advocates calling for a crackdown o [ ... ]
Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
March 26
At 2:10 p.m. a man e [ ... ]
Big Rigs Sought
For April 13
The 3 to 5 Preschool’s spring fundraiser and Big Rig event is happening [ ... ]
By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
The city’s reassessment of taxable real estate, alo [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
The third opening in this year’s Sitka Sound sac roe herring fishery was held Mon [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
Sitka High’s Lady Wolves bounced back from an openi [ ... ]
By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel ports Editor
Competing in the state 3A basketball tournament in Anc [ ... ]
By Sentinel Staff
Playing in a competitive division City League volleyball game Monday evening [ ... ]
By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
A bill that passed the Alaska House of Representatives on Monday [ ... ]
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Yerkes to Seek Change of Venue for Trial
By BRIELLE SCHAEFFER
Sentinel Staff Writer
The attorney for a man charged with murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend in Sitka last May told a judge Thursday that he plans to petitionthe court to have the trial moved out of town.
Audio-visual technology was on display in the Sitka courtroom Thursday during the omnibus hearing for Reuben Yerkes, charged with murder in the death of Ali Clayton. The top screen showed Yerkes and his attorney Jude Pate, who were in a courtroom in Juneau. They followed the proceedings through a video transmitted from the Sitka courtroom, featuring Judge David George, shown on the lower screen. Assistant District Attorney Amanda Browning is at left. (Sentinel Photo by Reber Stein)
Public defender Jude Pate gave notice of the change of venue motion during an omnibus hearing for Reuben Yerkes, who has been in custody since May 6, when he appeared at the Sitka police station and reported that he had shot his girlfriend Ali Clayton after an argument.
A Juneau grand jury indicted Yerkes on one count of murder in the first degree and two counts of murder in the second degree related to Clayton’s death, and he has entered a plea of not guilty.
Both Yerkes, 39,and Clayton, 28, had office jobs with the City and Borough of Sitka.
Sitka Superior Court Judge David George presided at the brief hearing in the Sitka courthouse. Both Yerkes and Pate were in Juneau, where the defendant is being held at the Lemon Creek Correctional Center, and appeared in the Sitka courtroom over a closed circuit TV hookup. The live video showed Yerkes’ parents, John and Caren Yerkes, and his brother Josh sitting behind him in an otherwise empty Juneau courtroom. About 20 of Clayton’s friends and family members were present in the Sitka courtroom.
Judge George said Pate would have until Sept. 29 to file a change of venue motion.
Pate also requested a bail hearing, and George scheduled it for 8:45 a.m. Aug. 31. Yerkes is currently being held on $500,000 bail. Pate said he will seek a bail reduction and the defendant’s release to a third-party custodian.
The omnibus hearing is basically a status hearing where the judge checks in with both the defense and prosecutor to make sure things are moving along and information is being exchanged, George explained. The trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 3, 2018, and the judge said he has scheduled it for 12 days.
Assistant District Attorney Amanda Browning, who was in the Sitka courtroom, told the judge she anticipates a 10-15 day trial.
“At this point in time the state is on track for a January trial,” she said.
The state’s active investigation is over but some items are still pending with the state crime lab, such as firearm ballistics, DNA and fingerprints, she said. Digital evidence, including city computers, cell phones and personal computers, are being held by the state technical crime unit, she said.
George told Browning it must give the defense the results of its investigation within the next month.
Browning said the autopsy results should be sent to defense by the end of the week.
Pate said other fluid samples are in line for testing at a private lab.
Pate told George he did not plan on entering any pleas for his client based on “competency, insanity and diminished capacity.”
A calendar call for the trial is set for 8:30 a.m. Dec. 19.
Login Form
20 YEARS AGO
March 2004
Advertisement: Tea-Licious Tea House & Bakery 315 Lincoln Street Grand Opening! Freshly Baked Scones, Cakes & Pastries Innovative Salads, Soups & Sandwiches Harney & Sons Tea. Lunch * Afternoon Tea * Supper.
50 YEARS AGO
March 1974
Photo caption: National Republican Chairman George Bush takes a drink of water offered by Jan Craddick, Sitka delegate, during the Republican convention held here. Mrs. Craddick explained to Bush that the water was from Indian River, which means, according to local legend, that he will return.