From the April 2000 Idaho Observer:

Bonner County Commissioners to aid IO in Prewitt investigation

SANDPOINT -- Frustrated by obstructionist tactics by Sandpoint city officials and Bonner county officials who will not provide documents to aid The Idaho Observer and the Prewitt family in its investigation of potential official wrongdoing on the parts of city and county officials in the January 25, 1999 shooting and subsequent conviction of Rex Prewitt, 42, of Sandpoint, IO editor Don Harkins made an appeal to the Bonner County Board of Commissioners for help at the commission's weekly public meeting March 30.

Harkins read from a prepared statement to a crowd of 10 people plus the board of commissioners. He cited a litany of abuses that lead to the shooting of an innocent man by Bonner county sheriff's deputies Bill Tilson and Eric Skinner who allegedly decided that Prewitt was a suspect in an attempted burglary. Harkins told of numerous procedural violations that made the shooting “investigations” incomplete, how Bonner County Prosecuting Attorney Phil Robinson had presented either false or altered evidence to the court and how the evidence indicates several of the state's witnesses had committed perjury in court to achieve Prewitt's conviction. Harkins also told the commissioners that he and Prewitt's wife Lucy had contacted everyone they can think of who has the authority to investigate this matter and all they have gotten is the run around. “Phil Robinson, in a letter to me, said that he would not supply us with documents or help us in our investigations,” said Lucy Prewitt.

After he had completed his 10-minute oration, Harkins said, “Now, I would like a comment from each and every one of you [the commissioners] as to how you are going to help us get the documents we need to continue our investigation.”

“They all agreed to use their authority to help us to get any document we need,” said Harkins.

Mike Brown of KPND radio taped Harkins statement and played it later that afternoon for his north Idaho listening audience.