Fairfield teen charged with killing Spanish teacher wants public banned from hearing

One of the Fairfield teens charged with killing his high school Spanish teacher is asking the court to prohibit the public — including the media — from a hearing later this month regarding a motion to move the cases into juvenile court.

Lawyers for Jeremy Everett Goodale, 16, in a motion argue that testimony at the reverse waiver hearing will include confidential information that would “hinder” Goodale’s ability to have an impartial jury if the information is released to the public before this case is resolved. Under Iowa law, the court can exclude the public from hearings if a judge determines the “possibility of damage or harm to the child outweighs the public’s interest in having an open hearing,” according to the motion.

Allen Cook and J. Nicole Jensen, in their motion, also point out that expanded media coverage — cameras, electronic equipment and use of social media in the courtroom — doesn’t have to be allowed if a judge determines the coverage would interfere with the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

Media coverage is prohibited in any juvenile proceeding, according to court rules, which include hearings regarding a juvenile being prosecuted as an adult, according to the motion. Such hearings analyze the same considerations that the court will address in this case.

Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding, in his resistance, argues the charges against Goodale were originally filed in adult court, and the reverse waiver motion filed by the defense is under the jurisdiction and rules of district court.

Based on this fact, Moulding said in the motion, the defendant improperly cites the law when arguing to close this hearing because at this time, Goodale is considered an adult.

Moulding also pointed out that a forcible felony charge — murder — is excluded from the jurisdiction of a juvenile court and will be prosecuted in district court, unless it is moved to juvenile court for “good cause,” according to Iowa law.

The prosecution acknowledges that a waiver report by the juvenile courts officer is confidential. Moulding said in his motion that prosecutors expect reference will be made to it by the juvenile officer testifying, but they don’t intend to make the contents public. Besides the report, he said, it’s unclear what other confidential information the defendant might be referencing.

Moulding said he understands the court might not permit expanded media coverage, but closing a waiver hearing to the public isn’t appropriate. The trial set for April 19 will be open to the public, as all criminal proceedings are in the United States.

“This is a fundamental cornerstone of our system of justice,” Moulding argues. “We do not have secret murder proceedings in America.”

The Iowa Freedom of Information Council is considering weighing in on the defendant’s motion to make its views known of how inappropriate it would be to exclude the public and media from this hearing, Randy Evans, council executive director, told The Gazette on Tuesday.

“This is too serious of a matter and has widespread interest in Iowa, and it would be wrong to exclude the public from the proceeding,” Evans said.

Two reverse waiver hearings are set for March 24 for Goodale and William Noble Chaiden Miller, also 16.

Each teen is charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit a forcible felony. If the cases were moved back to juvenile court, as the defense lawyers ask, they would face much lesser sentences if convicted.

A motive for the killing hasn’t been released. But according to court documents, the teens schemed over social media to kill Nohema Graber, who had taught at Fairfield High since 2012. They monitored her routine before ambushing her on her daily walk in the park, killing her and later hiding her body, authorities said.

Graber, 66, was reported missing Nov. 2, and her body was found in Chautauqua Park. According to court documents, investigators said she suffered “inflicted trauma to the head,” and her body was concealed under a tarp, wheelbarrow and railroad ties.

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