BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Joel Berck Young, age 63, was sentenced after being found guilty of 2 counts of 2nd-degree attempted murder. The sentencing hearing was held on October 22nd. The charges are the result of a 2022 incident that left 2 Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office deputies with injuries to their heads from shotgun blasts.
According to Whatcom County Superior Court records, Young pled guilty on Thursday, September 19th, and was subsequently found guilty of the 2 counts of 2nd-degree attempted murder after his jury trial had begun.
The court sentenced Young to 180 months (15 years) in prison on each charge. An additional 60-month sentence was added to each since a firearm was used during the commission of the crimes and the crimes were committed against law enforcement officers performing their official duties.
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This is considered an exceptional sentence since it exceeds the standard range, given Young’s lack of a criminal history, of 92.25 to 165 months.
Young will receive credit for time served while awaiting trial and the sentences are to run consecutively, not concurrently as is often the case.
Young’s defense requested a new trial after the jury requested to view an exhibit. The exhibit, a video, was on an electronic storage device that was not working. The device was in the process of being replaced when the jury reported that it had reached a verdict. The defense’s complaint is that the jury was not given reason to believe the failed device was being replaced and their deliberations should have waited for its arrival.
While the request for a new trial was refused, Young’s defense notified the court that it will be appealing the jury verdict.
Young was remanded to the Whatcom County Jail following sentencing.
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