Sgt. Moore case won't be moved

COEUR d’ALENE — Kootenai County jurors will decide in September if Jonathan Renfro is guilty of killing Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Greg Moore.

Renfro, a 26-year-old Rathdrum resident who allegedly admitted to shooting Moore in a Coeur d'Alene neighborhood on May, 5, 2015, faces the death penalty if found guilty. On Thursday, Judge Lansing Haynes ruled against a motion made by Renfro’s defense team to move the Sept. 11 jury trial to Ada County.

“This court exercises its discretion by concluding that the evidence presented does not persuade this court that there is a reasonable likelihood that Renfro will be prevented from receiving a fair trial if venue is not changed,” Haynes wrote at the conclusion of his decision.

During two days of arguments in May on the motion, Haynes wrote Twin Falls attorney Keith Roark — who is serving as the lead defense attorney in the case — attempted to demonstrate that pretrial publicity in the case prevented the possibility of a fair trial in Kootenai County. Roark, Haynes added, argued certain types of publicity can “condition potential jurors toward negative reactions to an accused individual."

“This court specifically finds that the bulk of publicity in this case, as presented by Renfro, consists of accurate representations of the allegations leading to the charges against Renfro, and accurate representations of the various procedural stages of the case,” Haynes wrote.

Haynes added some of the reporting, specifically on the internet, had an inflammatory tone.

“However, the vast weight of more traditional reporting does not appear to have been designed to inflame the passion of potential jurors,” Haynes added. “There is no evidence that the Kootenai County media market has been flooded with calls to avenge the death of Greg Moore, nor has there been a media campaign calling for the death penalty for Renfro.”

Haynes also referenced a public opinion poll showing the majority of the 400 Kootenai County residents contacted have some awareness of the case. The results, Haynes wrote, were not surprising.

But, Haynes said, he was not persuaded that awareness of the case in Kootenai County would prevent residents from setting aside their opinions and preconceptions about the matter while they serve as jurors.