The federal trial of the father of the teenager who fatally shot four high school classmates began Monday as many prospective jurors were excused due to their connection with or knowledge of the case. Prosecutors say Fryberg was the subject of a 2002 domestic-violence protection order, making it illegal for him to have that handgun and the nine rifles found in his possession. But the father’s lawyer countered the man underwent multiple background checks and was never told he was barred from having guns.
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The jury won’t be told that Fryberg’s son, 15-year-old Jaylen, last fall used one of the guns to shoot five of his friends, killing four, before taking his own life in a cafeteria at Marysville Pilchuck High School.The Frybergs gave police permission to search Jaylen’s room hours after the shootings.Investigators returned days later with a judge’s permission for a more thorough search. He bought the guns by answering “no” to the question on a firearms form that asked if he was the subject of a protection order. But Robart told the prosecutors to black out any part of the transcript that mentions Fryberg’s son or the high school shooting.
Raymond Fryberg’s attorneys say prosecutors are mistaken. His attorneys say a protection order never made it clear he couldn’t own a gun and they also said he was able to get a hide and carry permit from the state.
“Mr. Fryberg believed in good faith he was allowed to own and possess firearms”, the attorney said, according to the newspaper.
Browne said the problem started with the protection order, which was sought by Fryberg’s former girlfriend, Jamie Gobin.
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A Tulalip woman on Tuesday testified that, in 2002, she urged her tribal police officer husband to serve a protection order against Raymond Fryberg as soon as possible. The officer who claimed he served Fryberg is married to Gobin’s sister, Browne said.
