Third trial starts for Tankovich brothers

COEUR d'ALENE - The retrial of two Coeur d'Alene brothers on malicious harassment charges begins today in Kootenai County District Court.

Frank J. Tankovich and William M. Tankovich are charged with conspiracy to commit malicious harassment and malicious harassment, and have pleaded not guilty to all counts against them. The charges stem from an incident in August 2009.

A jury was selected Monday, and the trial is expected to run through this week. First District Judge John Luster will be presiding.

The Tankovichs are accused of making racially motivated threats toward a Puerto Rican man named Kenneth Requena.

They were tried earlier this year, but a jury couldn't reach a unanimous decision.

The jury in that trial found their brother, Ira G. Tankovich, guilty of conspiracy to disturb the peace.

Ira Tankovich was sentenced to prison this year for being a felon in possession of a handgun, a charge stemming from the same incident involving Requena. Ira Tankovich pleaded guilty to that charge.

A first trial of the three Tankovich brothers ended in a mistrial.