Prosecutor: No charges to follow Palouse teen's death

Prosecutor Denis Tracy told a handful of Palouse citizens Tuesday night no charges will be filed against Alexandria Nieman for not intervening as 16-year-old Dylan Mayhan-Treese lay dying of a self-inflicted overdose Oct. 11.

Palouse citizens have been protesting the alleged drug activity at the home where Nieman lived since the dead body of Mayhan-Treese was discovered Oct. 23. It was first believed the teenager's death was caused in part because he was supplied with drugs from the 21-year-old Nieman. The teenager's parents had a restraining order in place against her.

Tracy Tuesday said at the meeting in Palouse city hall there was no connection between Mayhan-Treese's suicide and residents of the Mohr Street house. The 16-year-old died as a result of ingesting a lethal combination of prescription drugs from his own home.

That was the finding announced last week by County Coroner Pete Martin after his investigation of the youth's death.

"Dylan's girlfriend did not encourage him or assist him in committing suicide," Tracy told Palouse residents.

Tracy said no charges will be filed in relation to the teenager's suicide.

Alexandria Nieman reportedly told Palouse police she was with Mayhan-Treese as he was dying from the overdose.

"That's not a crime. It's an ethical issue. No crime was committed in Dylan's death. It's a tragedy for the family. It's a tragedy for the city," Tracy told the audience.

Alexandra Nieman last week in an interview with the Gazette denied she was with Maylan-Treese at the time he died.

The majority of citizen questions at the meeting, which was a casual meeting as the actual council meeting was canceled, surrounded the ongoing alleged drug activity at Alexandria's home on 320 W. Mohr Street.

Sheriff Brett Myers and Tracy fielded many questions from skeptical Palouse residents.

Both county law officials were criticized at the council meeting, and at a previous council session, for not taking action against occupants of the house where Palouse neighbors say they have witnessed criminal activity.

Outrage against the residents of the house was sparked after the death of Mayhan-Treese.

A group of neighbors picketed the house Nov. 14 in protest of the drug activity they believed to be going on inside.

Citizens grilled both officials on why so much criminal activity has surrounded that home and why they have not arrested the residents.

"I've seen a public records request of all the calls or charges on that home in the past three years and it is extensive," said Councilwoman Connie Newman.

Both officials pointed out several times a law enforcement agency can only arrest an individual if they have sufficient grounds. Myers repeated several times they have no grounds to arrest residents Craig Nieman, his daughter Alexandria or Nieman's girlfriend.

"There was no probable cause to search the house. I'm sorry," Tracy said.

Residents also asked several times if the Quad Cities Drug Task Force, headed by Myers, had an ongoing, working relationship with those residents. They contended arrests related to drug trafficking made by the Task Force at that house casts suspicion on the residents.

"I find it unbelievable that the Quad Cities Task Force doesn't have a relationship with those residents in that home," said Newman.

Both officials denied that the Task Force was letting residents off on potential charges or paying them for information.

"The Task Force is not harboring or protecting any of the residents you are referring to," Myers said.

Tracy pointed out that one suspect arrested outside that house received a 17-year federal sentence for regional drug trafficking. Myers pointed out the arrest that day was the result of months of gathering evidence.

Tracy urged residents to report any crimes they suspect or witness to the Palouse Police Department.

In a prior interview with the Gazette, Sheriff Myers said four arrests were made at the house this year. One resulted in a drug dealer, Kenneth Krause, being convicted on federal charges and sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Gregory Early, 51, Deer Park, is now in jail on a $100,000 bond awaiting a Dec. 13 trial on drug charges after he was arrested in a vehicle behind the Nieman house Oct. 25. Early had been the subject of a four-month investigation by the Task Force, Sheriff Myers said.