PORT ANGELES — They haven’t been charged, but two people jailed for investigation of the gun death of a Port Angeles man now have new lawyers.
Kenneth Alan Owens, 39, of Port Angeles appeared in Clallam County Superior Court Tuesday so that his attorney, Harry Gasnick of Clallam Public Defenders, could withdraw from the case.
Gasnick had represented both Owens and Niccole Marie Charles, 35, both of Port Angeles, on past criminal charges, of which they were acquitted.
The two are being held in the Clallam County jail on $250,000 bail each for investigation of the Dec. 15 death of Zane L. Bebee, 32, of Port Angeles.
Owens is being held for investigation of second-degree murder and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, because he is a convicted felon.
Charles is in jail for investigation of first-degree theft and first-degree rendering criminal assistance.
Bebee was found dead Friday on the porch of a residence in the Welcome Inn Travel Trailer Park at 1215 W. U.S. Highway 101.
An autopsy showed Bebee died of a gunshot wound to his upper torso.
Prosecutors have until Thursday to file charges against Owens and Charles.
Clallam Public Defenders, a private agency that contracts with the county to provide legal representation to low-income people accused of crimes, withdrew from Charles’ case Monday.
Port Angeles attorney Brian Coughenour was assigned to the case.
Gasnick said the office withdrew from Charles’ case to avoid a conflict, but said he could not comment on why he withdrew from Owens’ case.
Gasnick told Superior Court Judge Ken Williams he met with Owens in the jail and reviewed the case “in very general terms.”
Williams appointed Port Angeles attorney Karen Unger to represent Owens.
Argument early Friday
In court documents filed Monday, an eyewitness told investigators that Owens and Bebee argued early Friday morning on the mobile home porch and that Owens pulled out a semi-automatic pistol and threatened to shoot Bebee.
Bebee then took a swing at Owens, but missed, lost his balance and fell, documents say.
As he attempted to get back to his feet, Owens shot him, the documents say.
“Bebee attempted to continue to fight Owens, but fell to the porch and died at the scene,” documents say.
Witnesses also reported watching as Charles searched Bebee’s body for money following the shooting, documents say.
Charles and Bebee were an on-again/off-again couple who had two children in common.
Owens was later found hiding in an attic crawl space of a house on Sixth Street that had been provided to him by Charles, documents say.