Spokane7
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January 9, 2011 in City
Felony charge in Spokane ended in death
Alleged theft of $23 in gas put man in cell with killer
Another Spokane case where prosecutors used their discretion to charge a misdemeanor theft as a more serious felony robbery ended in tragedy in 2004.
That year, Spokane County prosecutors charged 21-year-old Christopher Rentz with second-degree robbery after they claimed he assaulted a gas station clerk during the theft of $23 worth of gas. Because he was charged with a felony, he was placed in jail with a cellmate who had a violent past – and who strangled Rentz.
Spokane County later paid Rentz’s family $180,000 to settle a $4.9 million federal civil rights lawsuit.
Spokane attorney Jeffry Finer, who initially represented Rentz, said the 21-year-old had gone to a gas station with his mother and pumped gas before realizing he had forgotten his credit card. He told the clerk he was leaving his mother at the station while he left to retrieve the card. But when the clerk objected and grabbed for the ignition, Rentz reached out and pushed the clerk’s hands away, Finer said.
Because he pushed the clerk’s hand, it was deemed “force or threat of force,” which is necessary to turn a misdemeanor theft charge into a felony robbery case.
“That discretion is really broad,” Finer said. “It would have been a very defensible case. But we never got the chance.”
Deputy Prosecutor Mark Lindsey, without referring specifically to any case, said prosecutors try to determine what charge best fits the crime.
“We cannot charge a crime unless we believe the evidence supports that crime beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said. “It’s a very heavy burden that dictates what we can or cannot charge.”
After Rentz’s arrest, he was placed in a cell with Michael L. West, who was charged with rape and kidnapping, and Brandon W. Martin, who had pleaded innocent by reason of insanity to charges of killing two men in Mead in 2002.
West and Martin had just finished watching a DVD of “The Passion of the Christ” before assaulting Rentz with a broom handle, according to court records. West was convicted of killing Rentz and Martin was convicted of rendering criminal assistance.
West currently faces new charges after witnesses say he attacked another cellmate in October, gouging out one of that man’s eyes.
Finer said Rentz’s second-degree robbery charge in 2004 resulted in a high bail.
“If (Rentz) had a bail range that he could have afforded, he would not have been imprisoned with Michael West,” Finer said.
Closing Geiger: Wise or worrisome? 
D Statler on January 09 at 7:50 a.m.
Spokane County Prosecutors always pile a bunch of charges up to coerce the poor sap sitting in jail to take a plea to a lesser charge.Put enough bogus charges out there and eventually some will stick.Then they bully the public defenders into telling the poor sap they are looking at an extrordinary sentence if they loose. Then the poor sap takes the deal and this is how our system gets over run with people that probably shouldn’t have been in jail to begin with.This guy broke the law.He hardly deserved to be charged with a felony.This 21 year olds life was worth $180,000. I am wondering how much Otto Zehms life was worth.
Lets face it, Tucker was voted in for another term.Spokane will be putting up with this behavior from the prosecutors office until we get some new leadership there.The Prosecutors office is the most powerful office in Spokane.There are no checks and balances to keep them inline.This type of ultimate power tends to corrupt them into a perverted sense of superiority.They use this unwielded authority in good and bad behavior.This type of conduct is the lazy way of doing an inferior job.
Please if you are reading this.Stop the over prosecuting and do your jobs the honest way.Prove the criminals guilty in a courtroom with the true evidence.Stop the use of UNCORRABERATED TESTIMONY of informants.Be strong enough to prosecute corrupt Detectives and public officials when necessary.Don’t send 13 Prosecutors into a courtroom to coerce a judge into ruling in your favor.Excersize compassion when there is a chance for reform.The conviction records are not as glorious as restoring someone back to a beneficial part of society.You weild the power to make and do wonderful things with it.ThankYou
berrybestfarm on January 09 at 9:00 a.m.
So let me get this straight. They put a guy with an as yet unproven crime in a cell with a person who admitteded murder AND insanity? This is criminal negligence at its worst.
misjustice on January 09 at 2:07 p.m.
Where were these “super” Prosecutor’s when my house was broken into and over $8000.00 worth of valuables stolen?
Two of my neighbors saw the loser that did it and signed affidavits attesting to what they witnessed. After the quick response of the police and their investigation into the robbery (which I applaud) the Prosecutor decided that there wasn’t enough “evidence” to proceed past the initial arraignment of the thief, so he was let go.
The Prosecutor on the case determined that the case would be too difficult to continue and that they likely would not get a conviction so they dropped the case. Why? Why? Why? Why?
Because the thief managed to persuade 3 people to lie about his whereabouts on the morning of the break in and theft. And I only had 2 people which witnessed the crime and were willing to tell the truth.
I have no faith in the Prosecutor’s office. And these recent “over” charging cases leave me totally stunned.
Alfredo on January 09 at 4:00 p.m.
From the sound of it, the guy should have never been in jail in the first place.
Dazzeetrader11 on January 09 at 8:13 p.m.
Poor J. This is what I was told would happen from now on in Spokane.Crimes against people will get some attention but not against property. I asked one of the Council member if that meant I should buy a gun to defend myself or my property. He said YES. Verner no longer will be having the police going to homes from private property crimes including stealing. Police say they’re overworked…poor dears…and the Chief told them to do what they can.
It’s what the money in tax buys you these days. True story too!
rightwingextreme on January 11 at 2:45 p.m.
Sounds to me like the prosecutors are the real criminals here!!!
John_Fever_Richmond on January 12 at 4:29 p.m.
Prosecutors ARE criminals!!!