10/14/09 Bend

A change of plea this morning for the Bend teenager charged with first degree murder in the death of his mother's boyfriend.  Kaleb Brown stabbed Tracy Rost with a sword at their home in Bend last October.  Today Brown pleaded guilty by Alford plea to the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide.  He also entered an Alford plea on two counts of unlawful use of a weapon including the sword and a hammer.  In an Alford plea, a person accepts punishment without admitting wrong doing.     

"Did you read that document and understand you're giving up an important right in the criminal justice system of having this matter submitted to the Deschutes County grand jury?" the judge asked Brown. 

"Yes," Brown responded. 

The Deputy District Attorney stated for the record that the family of the victim objects to the resolution of the case.

Brown can not have contact with the victim's family.   He's expected to be sentenced in December.  Brown could receive between three and a half to fifteen years behind bars.