In brief: County to pick up costs after acquittal

The same jury that acquitted a man Thursday of two counts of first-degree assault decided Friday that the county should pay for any costs incurred for his private defense attorney and any lost wages.

A jury on Thursday absolved Tommy J. Villanueva, 52, of any criminal responsibility in the near-fatal stabbing of Conal Blanchard and Robert Amicarella during a drunken party on June 20, 2010, in Spokane.

At the weeklong trial, testimony indicated that Blanchard and Amicarella were under the erroneous belief that Villanueva had beaten his girlfriend. Both victims, who suffered knife wounds to the neck that were nearly fatal, had blood-alcohol contents of more than three times the legal limit to drive.

After acquitting Villanueva, the jury was asked to determine whether Villanueva was acquitted because the state had simply failed to prove the case or because Villanueva used lawful force defending himself. The jury, which only needed 10 of the 12 members to decide the issue, came in 11-1 to have Spokane County pay for Villanueva’s defense. Those costs still were being calculated.

Brothers arrested on bank fraud charge

Brothers from Spokane and Post Falls have been indicted on a federal charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud in a scheme that investigators say bilked $6 million from KeyBank.

Local and federal law enforcement agencies arrested this week 49-year-old Roger Spangenberg, of Post Falls, and 52-year-old David Spangenberg, of Spokane, who were the owners of the now-closed D&R automobile dealerships in Hermiston and Enterprise, Ore. Steven Johnson, 63, of Aberdeen, Wash., was also indicted. Johnson managed the dealerships.

In 2007 and 2008, the Spangenbergs obtained loans from KeyBank to purchase cars. They then sold the cars without paying back the loans, according to a news release.

“These defendants left a multimillion-dollar trail of destruction in eastern Oregon,” Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Amanda Marshall wrote.

The defendants all face up to 30 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine.

Judge Leveque, 70, planning to retire

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Jerome Leveque announced to his colleagues this week his intention to retire when his term expires at the end of the year.

Leveque, 70, has been serving as judge since he was appointed by former Gov. Gary Locke in 2003. Superior Court Judge Ellen Kalama Clark said Leveque intends to serve out the remaining time of his term, meaning Gov. Chris Gregoire will not have to conduct a search and appoint a replacement until the next election.

“It will be an open election,” Clark said, meaning that voters will choose a new judge without an incumbent on the ballot.

Semanko won’t seek re-election

BOISE – Idaho Republican Party Chairman Norm Semanko won’t run for another four-year term, marking the end of his tenure that included the closing of the GOP primary and this week’s redistricting turmoil.

Semanko said Friday he’ll hand over leadership of Idaho’s dominant political party this summer at the GOP convention.

The 44-year-old lawyer disputed suggestions his leadership could result in Idaho Republicans losing influence.