Clerk Enters Plea Of Innocent In Own Court Charged With Harboring Fugitive In Her Office

Pend Oreille County Superior Court Clerk Winnie Sundseth pleaded innocent in her own court Tuesday on a charge of harboring a fugitive in her office.

She is accused of lying to keep law officers from arresting Newport-area resident Randy Brown, 35, on a probation violation charge.

The quiet in the Hall of Justice belied the intense interest with which co-workers are following the case. There were no whispering huddles in the hallway, and the only spectators in the courtroom were Sundseth’s husband, sister and niece and two reporters.

Sundseth told visiting Judge Paul Bastine of Spokane in a written statement that she is not guilty of second-degree rendering criminal assistance. She sat quietly throughout the hourlong proceeding, betraying her nervousness with a slight tremble of her head.

Throughout it all, Deputy Clerk Joan Greene stared uncomfortably at her notes as she recorded the hearing.

Greene and fellow Deputy Clerk Leitia Evans both will be witnesses against Sundseth at her Dec. 4 trial. Bastine ordered Sundseth not to talk to them about the case, nor to Brown and his wife and sister-in-law.

Special Prosecutor Clark Colwell stated in a court document that Sundseth told Brown’s sister-in-law, Lori Brown, she used to talk to Randy Brown “all the time” and felt sorry for him.

Colwell said Greene and Evans were present June 15 when Brown came to the clerk’s office and asked to hide so he could make an unrelated court appearance before being arrested. The deputy clerks said Sundseth first told Brown she wouldn’t hide him and then directed him to her private office when he insisted on being out of sight.

County probation officer Phil Hackwith said he went to the clerk’s office three times after Greene reported Brown was there. Colwell said Hackwith asked Sundseth each time whether she knew where Brown was and it wasn’t until the third time that she admitted Brown was in her office.

Newport Police Officer Ernest Martin said he went to the clerk’s office twice to look for Brown. Martin felt there was no doubt Sundseth knew he and other officers were looking for Brown, Colwell stated in an affidavit.

Evans said she feared Brown was about to flee when he crawled out of Sundseth’s private office and crouched behind the counter in the main office before surrendering. In fact, Colwell wrote, Brown said he would have fled if he’d had an opportunity.

Brown’s record includes arrests for obstructing a police officer, fourth-degree assault and escape from work release.

Tuesday’s quiet arraignment contrasted with the fireworks on Aug. 31 when Pend Oreille County Superior Court Judge Larry Kristianson ordered Sundseth to stay out of his courtroom because he may be a witness at her trial. Sundseth defied the order and Kristianson adjourned court for the day.

Then Sundseth’s attorney, Doug Lambarth, accused Kristianson in a scathing letter of violating state law by telling another elected official what to do. Kristianson backed down, saying he had done what he could to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

Sundseth has said the charge against her resulted from a misunderstanding when Brown was told to wait in her office for a decision from Kristianson.

The judge said Sundseth had advised him in a note that there was an outstanding warrant for Brown, who was to appear in his court on June 15. But Kristianson said Sundseth never spoke to him or asked him a question.

Instead, Kristianson said Greene called him for instructions when Brown arrived in the clerk’s office that morning. Kristianson said he told her to have someone call the sheriff’s office, and had no further involvement.

, DataTimes