Wood Faces Second Trial In Child’s Death

For the second time in three years, a Fernwood, Idaho, man will stand trial in the death of a 2-yearold girl.

On March 3, the Benewah County prosecutor’s office charged Jehn Wood with felony injury to a child in the death of Tasha Almandinger.

“We need to find some ends to justice here,” said Benewah County Prosecutor Rich Christensen.

Almandinger died in November 1990 and Wood was first charged with second-degree murder.

The child’s mother testified she left the child for a few minutes with Wood, whom she later married. An autopsy showed the child died of a blow to the head, causing bleeding and swelling of the brain.

Although Wood claimed Tasha choked on a grape, he was accused of beating the girl to death.

In December 1992, a jury acquitted him of the murder charge and instead found him guilty of the lesser crime of felony injury to a child. A judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

But in August 1994, the Idaho Court of Appeals overturned the conviction and ruled that Wood should get a new trial.

The court felt that some testimony should not have been allowed because it unfairly prejudiced the jury against Wood.

Wood’s new trial is scheduled to begin June 14.