Hearing delayed again in case of CdA officer’s slaying

A judge reluctantly agreed to another delay Wednesday in the case against a North Idaho man accused of killing a Coeur d’Alene police officer in May.

First District Senior Magistrate Barry Watson rescheduled the preliminary hearing for Jonathan Daniel Renfro to Aug. 26 – 16 weeks after Renfro allegedly shot Sgt. Greg Moore. At the hearing, the judge will determine if the prosecutor has enough evidence to proceed to trial.

Watson previously had postponed the preliminary hearing for Renfro, who is charged with first-degree murder. The hearing was to take place next Wednesday.

Deputy Public Defender Mayli Walsh told the judge Wednesday that her office received a large volume of the state’s evidence last month and needs more time to review it. Walsh displayed several binders of documents and said the material includes more than 1,000 pages of investigative reports and 72 hours of audio and video recordings.

“It’s absolutely critical that we be able to review this evidence,” she told Watson.

The judge said he is concerned the defense will keep asking for more time as additional evidence is disclosed. “It does have to stop at some point,” he said.

The Kootenai County prosecutor’s office did not oppose a further delay, and Renfro told the judge he is in favor of continuing the preliminary hearing. Watson said he reluctantly would set the new date for the hearing.

Renfro, 27, could receive the death penalty if convicted on the murder charge. He has not entered a plea and remains in jail on $2 million bail.