Teen not guilty in death of Wash. mayor's son

A teenager charged with controlled substance homicide in the death of the only son of Chehalis Mayor Tony Ketchum has been found not guilty.

Chris Carter was blamed for providing a prescription medication, hydromorphone, that 20-year-old Anthony E. Ketchum Jr. ingested before he was found dead at Carter's home in September 2006.

There was no allegation of any intent that Ketchum would die, only that he did die from the drug.

In Lewis County Juvenile Court Friday, Judge Richard L. Brosey found Carter, now 18, not guilty of the charge. But the judge but did find Carter guilty of delivery of a controlled substance.

Lewis County Prosecutor Michael Golden told The Chronicle, "There was a question of fact if the hydromorphone caused the death."

Golden says sentencing of Carter for delivery of a controlled substance conviction is set for December. He says the standard range for the juvenile penalty Carter faces is 15 to 36 weeks of incarceration.

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Information from: The Chronicle, http://www.chronline.com