November Vote Affects Murder Trials Payment

Whether at least four upcoming murder trials will be paid for by an increase in property taxes will be decided by county voters in November.

The Twin Falls County Commission decided Monday to put the issue on the Nov. 3 ballot along with measures to change the county government’s structure.

The county faces mounting costs of four first-degree murder trials, and up to nine trials.

Voters will decide whether to override a 3-percent cap on the budget to raise $1 million in the next two years. Much of the county’s cost will be paying for two public defenders for each defendant.

The public defender’s office can take only one defendant per case, and the remaining defendants are represented by private lawyers paid for by the county. They can charge more than $100 per hour and already have billed more than $40,000 in the past few months.

The $50,000 the county set aside for the trials will not be enough, Commissioner Carla Reed said.

Commissioners and County Prosecutor Grant Loebs met with Republican state Sens. Laird Noh and John Sandy, Rep. Celia Gould and House candidate Randy Hansen to discuss the problem Monday.

The county might have to ask the Legislature for help if voters reject the budget override, Commissioner Marvin Hempleman said.