PORT TOWNSEND — Jefferson County has received $197,000 from the state’s Extraordinary Criminal Justice Costs Act to cover part of extraordinary, unanticipated expenses county departments have incurred during the March double-murder trial, jury conviction, sentencing and housing of Michael J. Pierce.
County Treasurer Judi Morris recently received the check from the state, which she deposited.
That will pay for more than half of the $370,883.85 in expenses added up so far, said county Auditor Donna Eldridge.
Eldridge said the figure does not include the cost of housing Pierce for 426 days in the Jefferson County Jail in Port Hadlock — $44,308.26.
He was in jail in 2009 for 279 days and in 2010 for 147 days, she said, at $104.01 a day.
A nine-woman, three-man jury on March 26 found Pierce guilty of the March 18, 2009 murders of Pat, 60, and Janice Yarr, 57, and the arson of their Boulton Road home north of Lake Leland to cover up the crimes.
Pierce was sentenced May 24 to just short of 118 years in prison. He was moved to the state prison system in Shelton on May 25.
County Administrator Philip Morley said he was encouraged by the funding and looked forward to applying for additional funds to cover costs the county incurred from the trial.
That application will go to the state Legislature during its early 2011 session.
“This is to partially reimburse the county for its costs in 2009 for prosecuting and defending the Pierce case,” Morley said. “And it is a badly needed reimbursement for extraordinary costs.
“It’s very encouraging that the 2009 costs were significantly covered.”
Broken down, Eldridge said, departmental total expenses incurred from the trial are:
• Jefferson County Superior Court $143,708.61.
• Sheriff’s Office, $139,968.95.
• Superior Court clerk’s office, $1,397.40.
• Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, $22,765.05.
• Pierce’s public defender, Jefferson County Associated Counsel’s court-appointed attorney Richard Davies, and Mark Larranaga with Walsh & Larranaga, $58,446.32.
• Crime victims, $4,597.52.
“Anything that adds to the county coffers to increase the general fund deficit is definitely a great relief to the Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff Tony Hernandez said, adding his department of about 50 has been working harder with less in resources.
The sheriff, who beefed up deputy security staffing during the trial and was responsible for motorcades that transported Pierce between jail and the courtroom during the trail, estimates his department will feel close to another $100,000 in unanticipated expenses in 2010 as a result of the trial.
Hernandez said costs were blunted by the volunteer force of about 100, many who work for animal services, plus four grant-funded positions.
The sheriff oversaw the investigation that led to the conviction of Pierce, a 35-year-old former Sequim and Quilcene resident and Peninsula College student.
The $197,000 reimbursement came from the Washington State Office of Public Defense, which under the state Extraordinary Criminal Justice Costs Act recommended that amount be paid for 2009 Pierce trial-related expenses.
The Office of Public Defense recommended the amount to the state Senate and House Ways and Mean committees, which in turn asked for state Legislature approval, which was granted in the last legislative session.
Morley in December petitioned the Washington State Office of Public Defense for $282,201.58 and the state only budgeted $197,000.
Jefferson County’s state funding request competed with Benton, Franklin and King counties. King County alone requested about $3.9 million, while Benton and Franklin requested $175,505 and $128,020, respectively.
In a Dec. 10 letter requesting state funding to Rene Davis with the Washington State Office of Public Defense, Morley explained that the county suffered substantial general fund budget cuts in 2009.
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Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
