Mediation ordered in CWC thefts
SANDPOINT — Mediation was ordered Thursday in the case of a former Coldwater Creek executive assistant accused of racking up thousands of dollars of personal expenses on a corporate credit card.
Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Larry Goins and Chief Public Defender Isabella Robertson moved jointly to enter into mediation to resolve an ongoing disagreement over the amount of restitution Susan Alene Hopkins should be made to pay.
The mediation could also affect the state’s recommendation that Hopkins be given a suspended prison term and ordered to serve three months of local incarceration at the Bonner County Jail.
Hopkins, a 54-year-old from Kootenai, pleaded guilty to grand theft and agreed to pay as much as $251,943 in restitution to Coldwater Creek and the Panhandle Alliance For Education.
She was to be sentenced last month in 1st District Court, but the proceedings were continued because of Verby’s discomfort with the sentence recommendation and statements Hopkins made during a psychological evaluation and a presentence investigation.
“Miss Hopkins felt like she had been victimized by the system,” Verby said, adding that Hopkins also disputes the restitution sum.
Verby continued last month’s hearing to avoid sentencing a defendant in a case with the prospect of substantial penalties if there were issues concerning culpability.
Robertson said mediation was discussed as an option because Hopkins does not admit to stealing $251,000 and the defense can “show to a degree” that the sum is too high.
“She has admitted that there were some inappropriate charges to the corporate account. That is why she pled guilty,” said Robertson.
Goins’ preference was to honor the plea agreement, which was approved by Coldwater Creek and PAFE.
“However, if the court would allow us to go to mediation, it would open all the terms of the agreement (to re-negotiation),” said Goins.
The state and defense will ask a sitting judge in another district to mediate the matter. Hopkins’ sentencing hearing was reset for June 21.