Superior Criminal Court, November 6, 2026: Two Motions to Suppress and Dismiss and Two Plea Deals
Times of change for Beacon means a slight change in the Legal beat.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, WA — Early November winds whistled in the Courthouse stairway, and leaves twisted past the tall Superior Courtroom windows during the November 6 Superior Criminal Court calendar.
I, too, am feeling the winds of change. With a year and a half left in my four-year program, it is time for me to begin an internship. Starting Monday, I will start a new job that will impact my ability to attend Friday morning Criminal Court. But it is important to me to continue what we have started here at The Beacon, and I will go to the Adult Criminal Special Set later on Friday Afternoons. This will be a new set of learning curves for the Legal beat, but we are excited to familiarise ourselves with the more intimate workings of our legal system in Jefferson County.
Preliminary Appearances and Arraignments:
Olivia Wilkens appeared for her arraignment, but with attorney Lane Wolfley finding a conflict, she was assigned Craig Platt as counsel. Without meeting with her defense attorney, she did not make a plea, and her arraignment was set over to November 13.
Tia Gilpatrick’s warrant was quashed on her appearance in court. She was assigned counsel with Jefferson Associated Counsel and pleaded not guilty to the charges of forgery on a harvesting permit. Her omnibus hearing will be December 18, pretrial on January 8 and trial the week of January 19.
Sentencing:
Stephen Melnick made a change of plea to guilty on an amended charge from a felony charge of forgery to a misdemeanor charge of theft in the third degree. He has served 22 days and was sentenced to 334 days, suspended for two years.
David Stenhouse also changed his plea to guilty on the charges of reckless burning in the second degree and escape in the second degree. He was sentenced to 29 days on count one and 30 days on count two, with credit for 59 days served. He was released in this case, but is being held on charges in District Court. Stenhouse was fingerprinted as he was escorted out.
Updates:
Lonnie Kohrett’s attorney, Jack Range made a motion to dismiss the case. His motion was denied, but the court will hear his motion to suppress at the pretrial hearing on November 20. Kohrett’s trial was reset to the week of December 7.
Jane Franklin failed to appear for her pretrial hearing. Her attorney, Lillian Powers, stated that she knows Franklin is working with the REAL team and receiving elderly care, and asked for a one-week continuance. The state did not object to the continuance but did warn that if Franklin fails to appear next week, they will be asking for a warrant.
Joseph Searight has a potential resolution on the table with the state of a one-year agreement for a Stipulated Order of Continuance with conditions.
Mahabo Boughton had a handful of supporters in court with him for his review hearing. Kate Ciliberto with the Department of Social and Health Services Motion gave a report on Boughton’s graduation from his 90-day program, his evaluation report stating his competency and his great success as a peer. “He should be celebrated,” Ciliberto said. “He is an inspiration to me, his peers, others and is a real benefit to have been involved. He has been a true support for others in the program.” His motion hearing was set for December 18.
Russell Mikeal’s attorney, Richard Davies, made a motion to dismiss and suppress. After argument from both the state and the defense, the court took the matter under advisement and will spend more time evaluating the conflict of evidence.
Why we are reporting on this
The Beacon’s goal is to bring transparency to the Jefferson County legal system. We believe understanding the court system helps highlight what needs to be fixed, as well as what types of support are available within the criminal justice system. It’s hard to change what you can’t see, and we believe transparency will bring the accountability needed.
We also intend this work to be an effort to keep the community together when the criminal justice system and stigma isolate individuals disproportionately affected by poverty and oppression.
Where we get our information
Our reporter attends Superior Court and follows up with the legal representation or the judge if anything is unclear.
Our approach to covering the court system
We follow court cases from arraignment to sentencing, paying special attention to the programs that help the accused find ways to improve their lives and to the places where the legal system fails those whose criminal behavior is the result of unaddressed external issues, such as poverty or abuse.
