Pair plead not guilty in attempted murder case

A man and a woman arrested in the April shooting of a Driggs man were in court Tuesday.

Jerrmaine Wiley, 20, of Bakersfield, Calif., pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, attempted murder and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. His trial is scheduled for September.

His co-defendant, Jessica Brown, of Rexburg, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, and aiding and abetting attempted murder in the first degree. Her trial is scheduled for October.

Brown is pregnant and is expecting her child on May 24. She was crying in court Tuesday.

Fremont County Prosecuting Attorney, Karl Lewies, said Brown paid for a hotel room in Rexburg, purchased ammunition for the weapon used in the shooting and drove Wiley from California to commit the attempted murder. Court records indicate Wiley shot Eric Norlen in the shoulder and in the back of his head.

“Jessica Joy Brown had some sort of child custody dispute with her stepfather, Eric Norlen, who was the victim. He was shot over a 2-year-old child,” Lewies said.

Norlen, 49, of Driggs, was hospitalized and later released. Brown and Wiley’s court records have been attached to the article.