Covering Coe

The Spokesman-Review reporters covering Kevin Coe’s civil commitment trial were both local journalists when a series of unsolved rapes terrorized the region in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Karen Dorn Steele produced a weekly public affairs show in Spokane during Coe’s first trial. She has been a Spokesman-Review reporter since 1982, covering the courts, environment and investigative beat.

Rick Bonino covered both of Kevin Coe’s previous trials, in 1981 and 1985, and the trial of Kevin Coe’s mother, Ruth Coe, in 1982. She was convicted for attempting to hire a hit man to kill the judge and prosecutor in her son’s case. Bonino has worked at The Spokesman-Review in various positions since 1977.

Follow the two journalists’ coverage of the proceedings at spokesmanreview.com/ blogs/coe, which includes live recordings from the courtroom, previous stories, photos and multimedia.