Pete, family must wait longer for trials

Shonto Pete and his family will have to wait a little longer for two trials involving alleged crimes against them.

A Montana man’s plea on charges he murdered Pete’s sister, Tasheena Craft, in May has been postponed until next month. Also delayed is James “Jay” Olsen’s trial. Olsen, a Spokane police officer on unpaid layoff status, is accused of shooting Pete in February in Peaceful Valley.

Eighteen-year-old Craft was killed in Arlee, Mont. Kelly Birmingham, the man accused of beating and strangling Craft, requested Wednesday that his Lake County plea hearing be continued until Dec. 5. That request was granted.

Craft’s mother, Diana Cote, said Wednesday that she believes the postponement came from a greater power that wanted all of her family in the courtroom for the plea. Cote added that she doesn’t want Birmingham to accept a plea deal.

“I’d rather see him go to trial so everyone can see what happened here,” she said. “I don’t want Tasheena to be a silent victim.”

Cote is also Pete’s mother. She won’t have to come to Spokane for Olsen’s trial until March 10. The trial was originally scheduled to begin Dec. 5.

Olsen is charged with first-degree assault and reckless endangerment in the February shooting. Olsen said that he was trying to stop Pete as he was stealing his truck, but Pete was acquitted by a Spokane County Superior Court jury last month.