Defendant in shootings at detox center waives arraignment

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – A man charged with murder and attempted murder in the shootings of two American Indians at a Riverton detox center last month has waived a preliminary hearing, sending the state’s case against him to district court.

Fremont County authorities have charged Roy Clyde, 32, of Riverton with murder and attempted murder in the July 18 shootings.

Clyde had been set for a preliminary hearing in Fremont County Circuit Court on Wednesday, which would have required prosecutors to lay out their case against him to allow a judge to determine whether it was strong enough to bind him over to district court for trial.

Clyde’s decision to waive the preliminary hearing means the next step in the state’s case against him will be an arraignment in district court, which has yet to be scheduled. At the arraignment, a judge will advise him of the charges against him and call on him to respond to them.

Stallone Trosper, 29, died at the scene of the shooting, and James “Sonny” Goggles, 50, was critically injured.

Riverton police have said Clyde told investigators that he wanted to kill homeless people because he didn’t like to see them in city parks. Relatives of Trosper and Goggles have said neither man was homeless.

Both Trosper and Goggles are members of the Northern Arapaho Tribe. Tribal officials traveled to Washington, D.C., last week and met with Justice Department officials to press for federal hate crimes prosecution of Clyde.

John R. Powell, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cheyenne, said Tuesday that federal officials are monitoring the state investigation and prosecution of Clyde.

Fremont County Attorney Patrick J. LeBrun said Tuesday that he hasn’t decided whether he will seek the death penalty against Clyde.

LeBrun said Tuesday that he’s aware officials with the Justice Department are monitoring the case. “Whether the feds prosecute it or not, I’m still going to prosecute it,” he said.

An attempt to reach a lawyer representing Clyde wasn’t immediately successful on Tuesday.