Manslaughter suspect's extradition to Whatcom County could speed up with Ore. guilty pleas

PETER JENSEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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The man charged in the September 2007 slaying of a Bellingham teenager could be in Whatcom County for trial sooner than expected because of a plea deal in Oregon.

In August, Nathan Robert Goninan, 22, was charged with first-degree manslaughter in the death of 17-year-old Jessica Franklin of Bellingham.

Goninan is currently in prison in Oregon, and prosecutors are trying to extradite him to Whatcom County.

That was expected to be delayed after two Oregon grand juries indicted him on four assault charges he received as an inmate.

Goninan will plead guilty to three of those charges Oct. 9, said Tiffany Underwood, assistant district attorney with the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.

Any additional prison time would be added to his current Oregon sentence. This would resolve his outstanding charges and speed up his extradition, Underwood said.

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