An involuntary manslaughter charge against a 19-year-old Sun Valley Co. worker was dismissed last week due to lack of evidence.
A cause of death has yet to be established in the case against Corey D. Drehmel, who had been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the Feb. 6 death of his dormitory roommate, 49-year-old Jerome James. According to Sun Valley police reports, the two men were fighting at the Oregon dormitory in Sun Valley village.
An order dismissing the charge and allowing Drehmel's release from jail was signed Friday by Blaine County Magistrate Court Judge R. Ted Israel.
In his motion to dismiss, Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Thomas wrote that Drehmel had a statutory right for a preliminary hearing within 14 days of being charged. With no cause of death established, and one not likely for at least several more weeks, Thomas wrote that "it would be impossible for the prosecution to successfully proceed with the case."
The Roark Law Firm in Hailey, appointed public defender for Drehmel, had declined to submit a waiver to extend the time for the preliminary hearing.
An autopsy was conducted on James in Boise on Monday but the results were inconclusive. Blaine County Coroner Russell Mikel reported shortly after the death that James had no obvious physical injuries that could have been lethal. Toxicology and tissue sample tests are now being conducted.
Thomas left open the option of filing a new charge against Drehmel if new evidence becomes available.
"Investigation into the events that led to James' death continue," the prosecuting attorney's office wrote in a statement released Friday. "Drehmel is the only suspect and sole focus of the investigation. Due to the circumstances surrounding the death and a lack of eyewitnesses, investigators must process the evidence from the crime scene in order to fully develop the case against Drehmel.
"Once the laboratory results are available, the state will evaluate the results and make a charging determination. Dismissing the charges without prejudice allows the prosecution the opportunity to review all available evidence before making a determination."
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
Corey Drehmel
