In brief: Reduced charge ends sex case

A Spokane man was sentenced essentially to time served Friday for a sexual assault in 1999 that remained unsolved until DNA caught up to him.

Originally charged with second-degree rape, prosecutors agreed to allow Robert C. Graham – who was convicted in 2000 of third-degree rape in a different case – to plead guilty to second-degree assault with sexual motivation.

Superior Court Judge Maryann Moreno sentenced Graham, 31, to 17 months in prison; with credit for time served he faces little prison time.

Deputy Prosecutor Kelly Fitzgerald said the victim was first elated to know her attacker had been caught. But processing the case brought back horrific memories that she no longer wanted to face. Thus, she asked that no trial take place.

Although he’s already a registered sex offender, Graham must register for 15 years under the latest conviction. Graham apologized, saying he had no memory of the event because of his alcohol abuse. “I never meant to hurt anybody.”

Thomas Clouse

Storms leave robust snowpack

Late winter and early spring storms that delighted skiers will lead to full reservoirs this summer.

Heavy snowfall in March brought the snowpack east of the Cascade Range to average or above average conditions for most river basins, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Snowpack in the Spokane River Basin is 115 percent of average. In the Yakima and Walla Walla basins, the snowpack is average for this time of year.

In March, precipitation for the Idaho Panhandle was 163 percent of normal, with some data collection sites reporting record snow accumulations. The overall snowpack is 112 percent of average.

Flooding may be a threat this spring, depending how quickly the snowpack melts. Storms with warm temperatures and rain, or two or more days of hot weather, will increase the likelihood of flooding.

Becky Kramer