Isenberg: No plea at murder hearing

Her shackles jangling, Lori Isenberg walked in single file with other inmates into a downtown Coeur d’Alene courtroom Tuesday afternoon, wearing red, high-security jail pajamas and shower shoes.

She is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her husband, Larry, whose body was found two years ago floating in Lake Coeur d’Alene. Isenberg, a mother of six daughters, sat down alongside her attorney, Jed Nixon, in the second-story courtroom of the old federal building.

She told First District Judge Scott Wayman that she understood the charges against her, and the potential penalties, which could include the death sentence.

“I do,” she said.

Isenberg, 66, did not enter a plea Tuesday to the murder charge, prompting Wayman to enter a not guilty plea on her behalf.

“She is standing silent on the charge,” Nixon told the court.

Not entering a plea allows the defense to challenge the state’s evidence without the rancor of a not-guilty plea.

Attorneys said they expected Isenberg’s murder trial to last six weeks, which could mean it may not take place until the latter part of this year. Wayman said he would look for an opportunity to squeeze a lengthy trial into his court calendar.

“It’s not going to be easy,” the judge said.

Isenberg, who is already serving a five-year sentence for embezzling almost $600,000 from a North Idaho nonprofit, is accused of killing her husband and dropping his body overboard during an early-morning boat ride on Lake Coeur d’Alene Feb. 13, 2018. The incident occurred the same day The Press broke a front-page story about her possible connection to missing funds from the North Idaho Housing Coalition, which helps low-income families find homes.

Isenberg, the coalition’s former executive director, was convicted on federal wire fraud and theft charges and was doing time in a federal prison in Seattle when she was served the warrant for the murder of her 68-year-old husband.

Larry Isenberg’s body was found almost three weeks after he allegedly fell overboard. An autopsy found he had died of an overdose of Benadryl.

Defense attorneys would not comment on the case Tuesday, and Larry Isenberg’s family members chose not to comment to The Press.

Her high-profile case was the first one called on the court’s 2 p.m. calendar. At the conclusion of the short hearing, Lori Isenberg was ushered from the courtroom.

Prosecutors didn’t say if they would seek the death penalty.