Judge postpones Herman hearing
A federal court hearing was postponed Thursday for a registered sex offender accused of possessing and transporting child pornography.
Thomas R. Herman was in U.S. District Court, prepared to hear the prosecution’s case of “probable cause” to formally charge him with the two federal counts.
But Herman’s attorney, Assistant Federal Defender Tina Hunt, asked for additional time before the probable cause and bail hearing is held for the 65-year-old defendant.
Herman was arrested Tuesday, living in the basement of a house owned and occupied by Spokane Police Cpl. David Freitag.
He was suspended from duty but isn’t implicated in the federal child porn investigation.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno granted the defense request and rescheduled Herman’s hearing for Wednesday.
– Bill Morlin
Memorial service for Jim West today
A memorial service for former Spokane Mayor Jim West is scheduled for 4 p.m. today in Life Center Church, 1202 N. Government Way. The Rev. Lonnie Mitchell will officiate.
West, who served as a city councilman, state legislator and mayor over his quarter-century political career, died Saturday after a long fight with colon cancer.
In lieu of flowers, the family is suggesting contributions be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718 Oklahoma City, OK, 73123; UW Foundation-Oncology Support Fund, P.O. Box 358240, Seattle, WA, 98195-8240; or the Richard Allen Enterprise Fund, 645 S. Richard Allen Court, Spokane, WA, 99202.
– Jim Camden
Paper seeks students for journalism project
Are you a high school student interested in journalism?
The Spokesman-Review is launching a new journalism initiative for ninth- to 12th-graders in Spokane County.
To help shape this initiative, we’re seeking students to serve on an advisory board that will help develop new print and online publications to be written and published by student journalists.
Advisory board members may be, but don’t have to be, interested in journalism.
More important at this stage are ideas about content and design of publications aimed at the high school population.
Students interested in serving on such an advisory board should contact Erin Daniels, coordinator of the initiative, at erind@spokesman.com or (509) 459-5489.
Post Falls
Man accused of robbing his mother
An 18-year-old is being held on $250,000 bond in the Kootenai County Jail on suspicion of robbing his mother of more than $3,000.
Robert F. Sullivan came into his mom’s Post Falls apartment while she was sleeping Wednesday night, shoved her to the floor and said there was someone in the apartment with a knife who was robbing them both, Post Falls Police Lt. Greg McLean said.
The mother thought her son was involved in the crime and told police. Sullivan was arrested and admitted that he helped devise the robbery scheme, McLean said.
– Staff reports