Terrorism Trial Of Ratigan In Bombing, Robbery To Begin Judge Refuses Requests To Step Aside And To Select Jurors From West Side

Thu., Sept. 18, 1997

By Bill Morlin billm@spokesman.com

The fourth man accused of involvement in domestic terrorism last year in the Spokane Valley goes on trial today in U.S. District Court.

Brian Ratigan is charged with the July 12 bombing at the Valley’s Planned Parenthood clinic and a robbery minutes later at a nearby branch of U.S. Bank.

The former Army sniper wasn’t with three other men - Charles Barbee, Robert Berry and Verne Jay Merrell - when they were arrested last October near Yakima after a foiled bank robbery in Portland.

After their arrests, Ratigan was a fugitive for six months, living near Sandpoint and Colville under various names.

Ratigan was arrested by FBI agents March 13 at the Amtrak depot in Spokane. He was caught with a MAC-90 assault rifle and eight loaded, extra-large ammunition clips.

The weapon matches an assault weapon photographed by bank surveillance cameras during the robbery.

At a hearing Wednesday, Ratigan asked U.S. District Judge Frem Nielsen to remove himself from the case.

He also asked that a jury from Western Washington be picked to hear his case because of news media coverage of previous trials of Barbee, Berry and Merrell.

They were recently convicted of the crime spree and face mandatory life imprisonment.

“I feel that with all the media coverage of the two prior trials, there will be no chance for me to have an impartial jury,” Ratigan said in a letter to the judge.

He also said he has no faith in his court-appointed attorneys, Terry Ryan and Don Kellman.

“I do not accept my defense counsel willingly, but feel it has been forced upon me,” Ratigan wrote.

“My defense is Yahweh, my Father and Creator, and Yahshua, his son, is my advocate and mediator. I acknowledge or accept no other!”

Nielsen refused to step aside or call jurors from outside the Eastern District of Washington.

Jury selection begins today. Opening statements and initial testimony are expected Friday.

, DataTimes

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