Home invasion trial -- Amended charges
The Spokane County prosecutor's office was sanctioned Monday, Jan. 12, and fined $8,000 when a judge reacted angrily to a last-minute change in the charges in a home invasion trial that could result in long prison terms for four young Spokane men. Superior Court Judge Tari Eitzen said the prosecutor's last-minute decision to alter the date of the alleged offense by two days _ to April 17 instead of April 15, 2008 - has significantly harmed the fair trial rights of the defendants, who will now be tried in early February. They have been in jail for months awaiting trial as their defense attorneys worked to defend them against robber and attempted first-degree murder charges.
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