Idaho inmate remains on the run
One of two Idaho inmates who escaped from a privately run Texas prison in the midst of a disturbance that distracted guards remained on the loose Tuesday.
Rudolfo Garcia-Lopez, 38, serving up to 20 years for aggravated assault and attempted kidnapping, climbed a perimeter fence Monday evening at the Newton County Correctional Center in eastern Texas. Another inmate, Orlando Gonzalez-Leon, 27, in prison for up to 50 years for second-degree murder, escaped with Garcia-Lopez but was recaptured Monday evening about 90 minutes later.
The two men are among 450 Idaho inmates moved to Texas and Minnesota to ease overcrowding.
Coeur d’Alene
Library director joins world body
Coeur d’Alene Public Library Director Bette Ammon has been elected to the Member Council of the Online Computer Library, a group designed to increase access to information and reduce its cost.
The nonprofit was founded in 1967 and is a membership computer library service and research organization. More than 53,000 libraries in 96 countries and territories around the world use the services to locate, acquire, catalog, lend and preserve library materials. The organization and its member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the OCLC Online Union Catalog.
Ammon was elected to a three-year term as a Western delegate. She became the Coeur d’Alene director in April 2005.
Deer Park
Homicide ruled out in woman’s death
Sheriff’s detectives have ruled out homicide as a possible cause of death for a Deer Park woman.
Karla J. Trapp, 30, was found dead on June 6 in her home at 23 N. Weber Ave., according to court records.
Sgt. Dave Reagan said the investigation revealed the death wasn’t a homicide. He declined further comment.
The woman’s husband, John W. Trapp, told investigators last week that he and his wife had been drinking and fighting the night before she died.
Trapp said his wife fell down in the bathroom and hurt her head, Detective Doug Marske stated in a request for a warrant to search for evidence of homicide. Marske said Trapp told officers he put his wife to bed and found her dead the next morning.
Spokane
Jordin’s request for new trial denied
Superior Court Judge Neal Rielly denied a request Tuesday by convicted rapist Arlin Jordin for a new trial based mostly on remarks allegedly made by the jury forewoman after the trial.
Jordin’s attorney, Bevan Maxey, filed the request based on claims by his two paralegal employees, who said they overheard the jury forewoman making comments about being a former date rape counselor.
However, the woman, who is a fitness teacher at Ferris High School, denied under oath that she made any such comments. Detective Jan Pogachar also testified that she was near the forewoman when the comments were allegedly made and did not hear them.
A jury last month convicted Jordin, 59, of second-degree rape and indecent liberties in connection with an encounter in November 2004 in which a 34-year-old woman said she became incapacitated after accepting drinks from Jordin.
Cause of inmate’s death still unknown
An autopsy performed Tuesday on the inmate found dead in his cell last weekend did not reveal a cause of death.
“There were no obvious physical signs of the cause of death,” said Detective Mike Ricketts. Toxicology tests will be required to establish the cause and will take at least six weeks.
Gerard C. Leake, 50, was found dead in his cell about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, said Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.
From staff and wire reports