1 of 2 | Nicholas Umphenour, who was convicted of shooting two Idaho corrections officers while helping a prisoner make a daring escape in March, received a sentence of life in prison this week with no chance of parole for 40 years. Photo courtesy of the City of Boise
Oct. 5 (UPI) — A man convicted of shooting two Idaho corrections officers while helping a prisoner make a daring escape received a sentence of life in prison.
Nicholas Umphenour will also have no parole eligibility for 40 years, Ada County District Judge Nancy Baskin ruled Friday.
Umphenour previously pleaded guilty to three counts of assault or battery on law enforcement and one count each of unlawful possession of a firearm, and use of a firearm in a crime as well as one lesser charge.
The 29-year-old in March helped plan and carry out the escape of prisoner Skylar Meade on March 20.
Meade was being transferred to the Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho for treatment when a then-unknown suspect began shooting at Idaho Department of Corrections officers.
Two officers were shot by the suspect, while a third was hit in the confusion by bullets fired by a responding police officer.
Authorities later identified Umphenour as the accomplice, leading to a manhunt.
Umphenour and Meade were captured a day later in Twin Falls, Idaho.
Meade, who officials say has affiliations with white supremacist gangs, had been incarcerated since October 2016 after convictions for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a firearm enhancement.
Meade received a life sentence with parole eligibility after 35 years for his part in the escape.
In June, authorities charged Meade and Umphenour with murder in the death of an 83-year-old man whose body was found near Leland, Idaho. Officials believe Meade and Umphenour killed the elderly man while on the run.
They continue to investigate the death of a second 72-year-old man which they believe may have involved the two fugitives.
The judge on Friday cited Umphenour’s total disregard for human life in handing down the prison sentence.
During the proceedings, the court heard a recorded phone call made by Umphenour to his step-mother.
“It doesn’t bother me what kind of animal is that. It doesn’t bother me one bit and I know it should,” Umphenour said in reference to shooting the corrections officers.
“You are a persistent violator. You are a career criminal,” Baskin told the court, adding the 40-year-period of parole ineligibility was primarily to protect the public from Umphenour.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Students from across the Magic Valley visited with the Idaho Supreme Court on Wednesday to observe the judicial process during an actual appeal hearing.
The visit was part of a state and constitutional mandate requiring the court to hear appeals in different parts of the state. The session also provided an educational opportunity for local high school students and teachers.
The Idaho Judicial Branch considers education a priority when conducting these regional sessions.
“We take education as a very serious goal here in the judicial branch. We believe it’s important for people to understand why we have a court system,” said Nate Poppino, Court Communications Manager for the Idaho Judicial Branch.
Students sat through the appeal hearing and had the opportunity to ask the justices questions afterward.
Ian Knudson, a senior at Castleford High School who is considering a career in law, said the experience helped him understand both the court system and citizens’ rights.
“I’ve always been curious what it’s like. Because I know it’s not like the shows, like the suits, I love that show. But I know it’s not the same, and I just was really curious how judges act, how they talk,” Knudson said.
Knudson said the experience reinforced the importance of understanding the legal system.
“It’s important to understand somewhere that you might have to end up in. Say you make a mistake, or you’re at the wrong place, wrong time, or you get a ticket. It’s important to understand your rights and the rights of other people,” he said.
The judicial branch encourages public attendance at court proceedings as part of its educational mission.
“You know, court, by and large, is open to the public and you could just go down to your local courthouse and sit in on a hearing and get a sense of how these things work,” Poppino said.
The courthouse visit strengthened Knudson’s interest in pursuing a legal career.
“I think I’d show a lot of sympathy for people. And that way I could be a lawyer and show sympathy for the person that I’m defending,” he said.
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