John Craig

A man who raped a 3-year-old boy twice and nearly killed the child was spared an above-standard sentence Thursday as a U.S. Supreme Court decision continued to play havoc in Washington courts. Superior Court Judge Jerome Leveque emphasized that the standard maximum 131/3-year prison term he imposed on 26-year-old Cory G. Preston was the most he felt he was allowed to hand down.

A 25-year-old Spokane woman was sentenced Wednesday to six months in jail for a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old boy – who didn't complain until he also was jailed. Georgia Betty Jean Cooper's husband, Cody Cooper, stood up for her in court Wednesday along with her pastor.

Stevens County residents will get another chance Nov. 2 to approve a 0.3 percent sales tax increase to ensure that sheriff's deputies have reliable cars and to cover other criminal justice costs. In Stevens and other rural northeastern counties, residents also will vote on a number of school, fire and cemetery operating levies. Lincoln County commissioner races were decided in the Sept. 14 primary election, but Stevens, Pend Oreille and Ferry counties still have contested commissioner races.

Residents of northeastern Washington's 7th Legislative District will have an extra choice in next month's general election thanks to seven voters. That's how narrowly Libertarian candidate Dave Wordinger qualified to be on the ballot for the House seat held by Bob Sump.

Disasters at the Airway Heights Corrections Center can be so-o-o confusing if you don't know the drill. If you're a reporter and you arrive a few minutes late for a prison disaster drill, you'll miss Public Information Officer Risa Klemme's mock press conference about the mock plane crash at one of the prison's warehouses.

A state trooper trying to stop a speeding motorist was not responsible for a fatal crash two years ago at Francis and Monroe even though he was negligent, a Spokane County jury ruled Friday. Jurors deliberated nearly two days before concluding that Washington State Patrol Trooper Robert Fiorentino's negligence didn't cause the July 2, 2002, death of 15-year-old Tesia Parris.

The man who blew through a North Side intersection and killed 15-year-old Tesia Parris two years ago will have his prison term cut at least in half today. Abdulwahab Al-Jazairy, 23, won't have far to go for the hearing in which Spokane County Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza will be forced to slash his sentence because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Spokane County Juvenile Court Administrator Rand Young retires this week with his glass half full. "What a wonderful career I've had," Young said. "It's just been a dream career."