Odom case headed for mediation

COEUR d'ALENE — The case of a Coeur d'Alene man accused of shooting a pastor multiple times could be resolved outside of the courtroom.

Kyle Odom, 30, faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted on charges associated with the shooting of Pastor Tim Remington in the parking lot of The Altar Church in Coeur d'Alene on March 6. During a hearing on Tuesday, a Kootenai County District Court judge agreed to allow the county prosecutors and Odom's public defenders to enter into mediation.

"We continue to work toward a resolution, and pastor Tim is aware of the posture of the case," said Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Jed Whitaker.

Remington will be able to participate in the mediation session, the goal of which is typically to determine a plea agreement suitable to both sides while allowing the victim of the alleged crime to give their input. Mediation sessions are held behind closed doors and remain completely confidential.

A senior, retired district judge is required to serve as a mediator during the session.

If any plea agreement is reached during mediation, an open court hearing will be held where the presiding judge can choose whether to accept the deal. If an agreement is not reached, proceedings in the case will continue as scheduled. 

After allegedly shooting Remington following church services on the afternoon of March 6, Odom reportedly drove to Spokane before heading south to Boise. On March 7, Odom boarded a commercial flight from the Boise Airport to Washington, D.C., and was seen throwing flash drives and other items over the White House fence prior to being arrested by Secret Service agents.

Odom signed a waiver of extradition in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on April 6, and was escorted to Kootenai County by the U.S. Marshals Service. He was booked into the Kootenai County jail on May 6 and is still being held at the facility on a $500,000 bond.

Although he was originally charged with attempted murder, prosecutors amended the charges against Odom to aggravated battery, which carries the same maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Prosecutors also attached a felony deadly weapons enhancement to the charge, which carries an additional 15 year sentence if Odom is convicted.

A preliminary hearing will be scheduled to take place within 30 days of Tuesday's hearing.