LEWISTON, Idaho (AP) - The trial for a former agricultural education instructor at a northern Idaho high school charged with 11 counts of possessing child pornography has been delayed.
The Lewiston Tribune reports (https://bit.ly/1gm652n) that a 2nd District Court judge on Friday granted a motion by 28-year-old Tyler D. Mink’s defense attorney to postpone the trial until March 17.
Judge Jeff M. Brudie said Lewiston police in an oversight failed to earlier turn over evidence to the county prosecutor and as a result it hadn’t been reviewed by Mink’s attorney, Scott Chapman.
“Recently, the state disclosed police reports that were not previously disclosed through an inadvertence of the investigating officer,” Brudie said. “Mr. Chapman needs the opportunity to review the additional reports with his computer adviser.”
Brudie also accepted Mink’s request to waive his right to a jury trial. That means the evidence will be viewed by Brudie and attorneys, and Brudie will deliver a verdict.
Mink pleaded not guilty in May. He resigned from Culdesac High School in January 2013.
Court records say officers searched Mink’s residence and found hundreds of files they allege contain child pornography and other sexually exploitative material on various electronic devices.
Mink told an investigating officer that he downloaded child pornography for his own gratification, court records say.
Brudie on Friday also granted a motion by Nez Perce County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Sandra Dickerson asking that cameras be prohibited during the introduction of evidence.
“Due to the sensitive nature of the charges and the graphic sexual content of the evidence, exclusion of audio and video coverage is necessary to eliminate further victimization of the children in the videos and photographs,” the motion said.
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Information from: Lewiston Tribune, https://www.lmtribune.com
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