Maximum Sentences To Be Asked 3 Accused As Domestic Terrorists For Valley Bombings, Robberies Facing Life In Prison

Federal prosecutors will seek the “maximum sentence allowable by law” for three accused domestic terrorists from North Idaho.

Charles H. Barbee, Verne Jay Merrell and Robert S. Berry, all of Sandpoint, face life imprisonment without possibility of parole if convicted.

They are each charged with 12 counts in indictments alleging they are Phineas priests who conspired and carried out bombings and bank robberies in the Spokane Valley.

Phineas priests are white supremacists affiliated with Christian Identity religious beliefs. They believe they are carrying out God’s will by committing certain acts that others call crimes.

At their arraignments Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Lister detailed prison sentences and fines the defendants face if convicted.

When Barbee and Merrell refused to enter pleas, U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno said “not guilty” pleas would be entered on their behalf. Berry entered the same plea.

A trial date now will be set, likely in February. But if delays are sought, as expected, the case may not go to a jury until April or May.

Chief U.S. District Judge Frem Nielsen is assigned to hear the case and pre-trial legal disputes. There are expected to be several and the defendants may end up representing themselves.

“Do you want to be your own attorney?” federal defender Roger Peven asked in a courtroom exchange with Barbee.

When Barbee expressed interest in representing himself, Peven said Barbee could write and file his own legal motion requesting to be his own attorney.

After the arraignments, the prosecutor said the government will seek the maximum prison terms.

“We expect this case to go to trial and we’ll push for the maximum sentence allowable by law,” Lister said.

The suspects are charged with setting off pipe bombs last April 1 at the Spokane Valley office of The Spokesman-Review and U.S. Bank, which was robbed.

They also are accused of igniting a third pipe bomb on July 12 inside the doorway of a Planned Parenthood clinic before robbing the same bank a second time.

Besides those charges, the indictment accuses the men of four counts of using firearms during crimes of violence.

If they are convicted of more than one count of that crime, they faces mandatory life terms, without any chance of parole, Lister said.

There is no indication that any of the suspects are seeking leniency in exchange for cooperating with the FBI.

Agents are still looking for one and maybe two more suspects in the bombings and robberies.

, DataTimes