Sides set for murder trial

Jonathan Renfro pleaded guilty Thursday in First District Court to two felonies, but the first-degree murder charge stemming from the shooting death of Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Greg Moore is still pending.

Renfro’s murder trial starts Monday and he faces the death penalty if he’s found guilty.

Dressed in what has become his usual attire — black and red jailhouse stripes, uncropped hair and black-framed eyeglasses — Renfro, 29, for the second time in two days told District Judge Lansing Haynes he understood the charges of grand theft and eluding.

Haynes asked if the defendant was satisfied with his counsel, if Renfro was pleading guilty out of frustration, or if he was truly guilty of the two felonies.

“We’re not contesting the grand theft or the eluding,” Renfro said before entering guilty pleas to both counts.

A day earlier, Renfro wanted to plead guilty to an additional felony, an enhancement for being a habitual offender. The enhancement would have boosted penalties to life in prison on the two counts. But prosecutors at Thursday’s hearing chose not to pursue the charge, leaving the maximum five-year penalty in place for eluding, and a 14-year prison sentence in place for grand theft.

Renfro is accused in the May 5, 2015, shooting death of Moore, which occurred in a neighborhood near Atlas and Prairie avenues. The Glock handgun used in the shooting was stolen, hence the grand theft charge, and Renfro took Moore’s patrol vehicle, eluding law enforcement in a chase that ended in Post Falls.

Haynes at Thursday’s hearing overturned a previous decision prohibiting prosecutors from entering as evidence a black face mask the state said proved Renfro was up to no good, burgling houses, when the shooting death occurred.

Haynes originally ruled the face mask could not be admitted, but citing numerous references to the face mask in police interviews with the defendant, Haynes changed his mind Thursday.

“The court will now allow admission of that piece of evidence,” Haynes said.

Attorneys agreed Thursday to drop from the jury pool potential jurors who on a questionnaire said they would recommend imposing the death penalty for all capital crimes, and those who staunchly disavowed the death penalty in all cases.

In addition, attorneys agreed not to consider potential jurors who failed to return a questionnaire, contrary to court orders.

Thursday’s hearing was the final pretrial hearing before the Sept. 11 trial begins, Haynes said.

“The court is not available for you (today), so this is it,” Haynes said before adjourning.