Court fines shooter

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man convicted of initiating a shoot-out in which he was struck by gunfire was ordered Thursday to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victims.Richard Allen Larson was also ordered to pay Lora Adams’ hospital and car-rental bills, in addition to John Chester Bilsky’s medical bills, court documents indicate.

Larson, 60, was convicted by a jury of two counts of aggravated battery, despite Larson’s contention on the stand that Adams and Bilsky were the aggressors in the confrontation on Makers Way in February of last year.But a jury of 10 women and two men disagreed after hearing all the evidence in March and found Larson guilty of two counts of aggravated battery.

Adams testified at trial that Larson confronted her on the road and attacked her. She told jurors that Larson strangled her with one hand while holding a pistol to her face with the other.Bilsky testified that he interrupted the attack and that Larson opened fire. Bilsky returned fire and hit Larson.

First District Judge Steve Verby imposed consecutive sentences of two to five years in May. Taken together, Larson was ordered to serve no less than four years and up to 10 years in prison.Larson is incarcerated at the Idaho State Correctional Institution in Kuna, according to the Idaho Department of Correction. He took part in Thursday’s restitution hearing via telephone.

Chief Public Defender Isabella Robertson objected to the restitution sums sought by the state and the $5,000 per victim penalty, emphasizing that Larson is incarcerated, disabled and indigent.Verby overruled the objections, court records show.

Larson continues to maintain his innocence and claims he received ineffective assistance of counsel. He said the alleged victims’ trial testimony was contradictory and that he was shot while acting in self-defense.Larson also said during the hearing that he was offered a 30-day jail sentence if he pleaded guilty and called the prison terms he received “a great travesty of justice.”