In brief: Gorton named to redistricting panel

OLYMPIA – Former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton was named Tuesday to the panel that will redraw congressional and legislative boundaries because of the state’s population growth.

Gorton, a three-term Republican senator and former state attorney general, was selected by Senate Minority Leader Mike Hewitt for a seat on the Redistricting Commission. Former state Rep. Tom Huff, R-Gig Harbor, was named to the panel by House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt.

They join Democratic appointees Dean Foster, former clerk of the House and a member of the 2001 redistricting commission, and Tim Cies, former deputy mayor of Seattle.

Washington will gain a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, although it’s too soon to tell where that 10th seat will go, Gorton said.

Man says shooting was self-defense

A Spokane man accused of trying to kill another man during a dispute over a cat’s mess said the shooting was in self-defense.

Alan D. Kintner, 55, remains jailed on $100,000 bond after appearing Tuesday before Judge Michael Price on a second-degree attempted murder charge.

Kintner was arrested Saturday after witnesses said he shot Steven W. McCormick at least twice during a fight over McCormick’s cat at 9519 W. Seven Mile Road.

Kevin Maynor, who lives nearby and witnessed the shooting, told police he heard Kintner “say he could probably kill Steven and get away with it.”

McCormick was shot in the stomach with a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle and remained at Providence Holy Family Hospital on Tuesday; his condition was not available.

Kintner told deputies he was an expert marksman in the Marines and that “he only shot Steven because he had attacked him,” according to court documents.

Sex offender jailed on assault charge

A Spokane man on probation for sexually assaulting a woman in a church basement last year is back in jail on a new assault charge. 

Michael J. Bosch, 48, appeared in Spokane County Superior Court this week, accused of trying to sexually assault a man at a home on North Crestline Street on Dec. 29.

Bosch remains jailed on unlawful imprisonment and second-degree assault charges.

He’s a sex offender with a previous conviction for indecent liberties for an incident at Mending Fences Ministry last February.

Bosch was convicted in July and credited for 186 days served in jail and given 12 months of probation. He isn’t allowed to leave jail now because he allegedly violated probation.