Grand jury proceedings resume

SANDPOINT — A second-degree murder indictment did not appear to slow grand jury proceedings at the Bonner County Courthouse on Tuesday.

A day after the grand jury handed up an indictment accusing Michael Ryan McDermott in the second-degree murder of Robert Cameroen Hegseth Wohali, jurors remained huddled behind closed doors to consider what appears to be an unrelated case involving Bonner County sheriff’s office sex crimes investigators.

Grand jury proceedings are conducted in secret and jurors are sworn to secrecy. Authorities are prevented from discussing the nature of the charges or who is being implicated until an indictment is returned.

The grand jury has broad investigative powers to gather documentary evidence and can compel witnesses to testify, according to Idaho Code. If the panel returns an indictment, an arrest warrant or summons is issued against the subject of the grand jury probe. The defendant proceeds directly to district court, where the person is arraigned and a trial date is scheduled.

Last month, a grand jury indicted Fabian Rebeterano for the murder of Salvatore Blas Alonzo “Duke” Dias in Sandpoint last year. A grand jury also indicted William Scott Wegner of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.