In brief: ‘Judge Judy’ will hear local dispute

Two Spokane-area residents will appear on the TV show “Judge Judy” today as part of a landlord-tenant dispute. 

Shennen Blackburn, of Liberty Lake, is suing former tenant Samuel Doyle, of Spokane, for allegedly damaging her rental property, according to a press release.

It’s not the first time a Spokane dispute has ended up on the show.

An episode featuring two Spokane residents last year led to new criminal charges against a fraud suspect after a victim recognized him on the show and called police.

Coincidentally, today’s episode has a potentially criminal footnote to it as well. Court documents show Spokane County sheriff’s detectives searched Doyle’s home last week as part of a marijuana investigation. Doyle, who is on probation for possessing 10 pounds of marijuana in Oregon, is not in custody.

The investigation is ongoing.

Two stabbed, four arrested in robbery

A drug robbery at a northeast Spokane home led to two stabbings and four arrests early Saturday.

A victim, identified as Jason Paz, called police about 2:20 a.m. and said he’d been stabbed at a home in the 3900 block of East Ermina Avenue.

Spokane police found the second victim, Kelley L. Tate, at the home with cuts to her face; she was transported to a hospital in serious condition, according to court documents.

 A third alleged victim, Willie Sprayberry, told police he was sleeping in the basement when he was awakened by three men who told him he was being robbed. They led him at gunpoint upstairs to Tate and Paz, where Tate rushed the gunman and was hit in the head with an unknown object, according to police. The robbers stole cash, a wallet and a bone-handled knife before fleeing, officers said. 

Tate identified James R. Sprayberry, 26; Shanteek M. Pruitt, 19; and Christopher L. Eakle, 24, as being involved. Police reportedly found a bloody knife in Christopher A. Stoker’s pocket, which led to the 27-year-old’s arrest.