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Fredrickson pleads guilty to second-degree murder

April 18, 2008, 6:04 pm

MOSCOW — Zachary Fredrickson pleaded guilty late Friday afternoon to second-degree murder in the June 30 shooting death of Jeremiah Johnson in Troy, Latah County Prosecutor William Thompson Jr. said.
Fredrickson, 18, had originally been charged with first-degree murder, and jury selection was scheduled to begin Monday. But a last-minute deal was struck around 5 p.m. Friday, Thompson said.
“It’s unfortunate that we were unable to reach (an agreement) sooner, but what matters in the end is that we had the right result,” Thompson said.
Sentencing is set for June 23. Second-degree murder carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, but Thompson said he has agreed to not recommend a sentence longer than 20 years.
Johnson, 23, and Fredrickson were both highly intoxicated on the night of the shooting, and Fredrickson had been enraged by relentless taunting by Johnson, according to court records. Thompson had originally alleged that Fredrickson had enough time to calm down, get a rifle and shoot Johnson once in the head, prompting the first-degree murder charge.
According to a witness, Fredrickson placed the .22-caliber rifle under his chin and shot himself after he shot Johnson. He survived, however, and has since recovered. He will remain free on his $100,000 bond until sentencing, according to his Moscow attorney, Tim Gresback.
Second-degree murder removes the premeditation element, but concludes that Fredrickson acted with what the law calls “malice aforethought,” Thompson said.

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