Bomb Trial Cost At Least $327,000 Total May Increase As Other Federal Agencies Involved Finish Calculating Their Expenses

A domestic terrorism trial that ended with jurors deadlocked on the most serious charges against three northern Idaho men cost taxpayers at least $327,000, according to preliminary estimates released Friday.

A breakdown of costs provided by the U.S. attorney’s office included, among other things:

$83,000 for administration, including court staff, facilities and equipment.

$51,000 for court-appointed defense attorneys.

$43,000 for jury expenses.

$40,000 for extra security at Spokane’s Federal Building.

Costs could increase as other federal agencies involved in the case finish calculating their expenses.

The monthlong U.S. District Court trial of Verne Jay Merrell, Charles Barbee and Robert Berry ended Wednesday.

U.S. Attorney James Connelly said Thursday that prosecutors will retry the Sandpoint, Idaho-area men in mid-June on all eight of the charges the jury deadlocked on.

Those counts related to the bombing of a Spokane-area Planned Parenthood office and The Spokesman-Review newspaper, along with the robbery and bombing a U.S. Bank branch in the Spokane Valley.

The newspaper office was bombed April 1, 1996, moments before the nearby bank was robbed and bombed. On July 12, the Planned Parenthood office was bombed shortly before the same bank branch was robbed again.

The 12-member jury convicted the three on four lesser counts stemming from a trip to Portland in October that prosecutors contend was an unsuccessful copy of the Spokane Valley bombings and bank robberies.

Each man was convicted of conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen vehicles and possession of hand grenades. They could be sentenced to up to 35 years in prison.

But the jury was unable to reach consensus on more serious bank robbery and pipe bombing charges that carry mandatory life sentences.

The men were scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, but that could be postponed by the second trial.

Also unclear is the situation of Brian Ratigan, 38, also of Sandpoint. He was arrested March 13 in Spokane and is being held as an alleged accomplice in some of the crimes.

A federal grand jury will meet Tuesday to consider indicting Ratigan. Prosecutors may seek to try all four men together.