Judge breaks silence in abuse, kidnap case

A Coeur d’Alene judge entered a not guilty plea on Wednesday for a 29-year-old who was couch-surfing at his friend’s Coeur d’Alene home when he allegedly abused a 7-year-old at the house.

Nathan H. Matzinger refused to enter a plea — a tactic known as standing silent — when he appeared for his arraignment in First District Court.

District Court Judge Cynthia K.C. Meyer entered a plea for Matzinger on two charges including lewd conduct with a minor and kidnapping. His attorney, Rick Baughman, had told the court his client would not enter a plea.

At a felony arraignment, judges enter a non-guilty plea for defendants who choose to stand silent.

Matzinger, a transient who drove to Coeur d’Alene from Maryland by way of Seattle, allegedly had sexual contact with a child on the night of June 1 while he stayed at a friend’s house in the 1400 block of Nora Avenue. He told police he was too drunk to remember what happened. He said he blacked out after drinking shots and beer.

Police said Matzinger entered the bedroom of the 7-year-old while family members were asleep and forced himself upon the child, preventing her from leaving the room by restraining her and blocking the doorway, according to reports.

A kidnapping charge that came as part of the indictment accuses Matzinger of “willfully and without lawful authority [detaining] a child under the age of 16 with the intent to keep or conceal her from her custodial parent or detain her against her will.”

Baughman’s request for a grand jury transcript, at public expense, was granted.

“My client has no funds,” Baughman said.

A Dec. 2 jury trial will be in Coeur d’Alene.

Matzinger is being held in the Kootenai County jail. His bail was set at $250,000.