Bonner County Prosecutor Hull Vs. Robinson, Topp: Jabs Fly In Tough Race

If the Bonner County prosecutor candidates tossed the same verbal jabs in a courtroom as they have in their campaigns, the three attorneys might be facing contempt of court charges.

But this is politics, and the candidates are letting fly with the criticism. Current prosecutor, Independent Tevis Hull, has endured the brunt of the attacks.

Republican Phil Robinson and Democrat John Topp both say Hull has alienated law enforcement officers, plea bargains too many cases, and shies away from tough trials.

Hull admits relations between his office and the sheriff’s office are strained. It’s a problem that needs to be corrected, but he calls the other accusations pure “political rhetoric.”

“We are not in the business of selective prosecution and I don’t know of a prosecutor who does not negotiate cases,” Hull said. “I don’t think you can point a finger and say we do it too much.”

The decision to strike a plea bargain often is done with the approval of the officers involved.

“It’s not something done by just the prosecutor, it’s a cooperative effort,” Hull said.

Robinson and Topp say two high-profile cases Hull handled emphasize their points. The first involved an officer who was wounded in a gunfight with two men.

The two suspects never stood trial and were set free. Hull determined officers at the scene acted improperly and caused the shoot-out by not announcing themselves or using the flashing overhead lights on their vehicles.

“There are serious problems in the prosecutor’s office and one is Mr. Hull’s lack of courage to prosecute tough cases all the way to trial,” Robinson said.

Topp said a judge determined there was enough evidence for at least one of the shooting suspects to stand trial. The case, he said, should have gone to a jury instead of being dismissed by Hull.

“Mr. Hull was elected prosecutor, not the judge and jury,” said Topp, who lost the prosecutor post to Hull four years ago by 109 votes. “We need someone with the gumption to take the tough cases.”

The two challengers also chastised Hull for agreeing to a lenient sentence for a Spokane doctor who sexually abused a Bonner County teenager.

The doctor, Gregory Nail, faced life in prison but received only 90 days in jail, a sentence Hull agreed to.

“Hull called that a just sentence but to me that’s abhorrent,” Topp said.

Many factors go into deciding cases, Hull said, noting Topp and Robinson were not privy to all the details of those cases. He said his philosophy as prosecutor is simple.

“I believe those who commit crimes ought to be held accountable and punished accordingly.”

Rather than trade verbal barbs Hull focused on what he wants done in the prosecutor’s office. He is pushing to expand the victim-witness program he started. The program offers counseling and support to crime victims and those traumatized by having to testify, such as abused children.

Hull also wants to move the county civil attorney under the umbrella of the prosecutor’s office, an idea the other candidates share.

Topp was the county civil attorney for more than two years. He said Hull has no one in his office experienced enough to do civil work and commissioners were forced to hire another lawyer.

Hull disagrees. He has a competent staff to handle civil work and said Topp is bitter because his civil attorney contract was not renewed by the county.

Hull said he also wants to restore communication with the sheriff’s office.

“This has got to be a cooperative effort and the administrations need to get along,” Hull said. “There shouldn’t be this finger-pointing.”

Starting in March, Hull would offer training session for officers. Hull promised those training session when he was elected four years ago.

“He’s conducted two sessions in 46 months. He’s about four years too late,” said Robinson, who served eight years as prosecutor here. “There is no communication or respect between law enforcement and Mr. Hull. It’s the worst I’ve seen it the 20 years I’ve worked here.”

Robinson and Topp both say they entered the race after being encouraged by police officers disgruntled with Hull’s performance.

Hull stands by his record. He has charts and graphs that show he’s taken a majority of his cases to District Court.

But what doesn’t show up in the statistics, Robinson said, is that 90 percent of those felony cases were either dismissed, reduced or plea bargained.

“He is not being up-front with what is going on,” Robinson said.

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