Within the last two weeks, Nez Perce County Prosecutors presented evidence in two separate trials for attempted murder and got convictions in both. Robert Laplante and Brian Grimm were convicted by juries for their roles in two different incidents that occurred in 2023.
On March 14th, a jury convicted Robert Laplante for Attempted First Degree Murder of Otis Dickson. Chief Deputy Prosecutor April Smith and Deputy Prosecutor Jazz Patzer handled the case for the State. The evidence they presented demonstrated that Mr. Laplante had brutally beaten Mr. Dickson and left him for dead. Mr. Dickson was stabbed multiple times and suffered a skull fracture from being hit in the head with a hi-lift jack.
On March 19th, a Jury convicted Brian Grimm for Attempted First Degree Murder of Michael S Dranichak. Elected Prosecutor Justin Coleman and Deputy Prosecutor Kali Jo Parker handled the case for the State. The evidence showed that Mr. Grimm drove his car at and hit Mr. Dranichak three times after a verbal altercation near their shared residence. The jury deliberated for only 22 minutes before finding him guilty.
Sentencing for Mr. Laplante is set for July 14th, 2024 at 8:30 AM and for Mr. Grimm June 5th, 2024 at 8:30 AM. The max penalty for Attempted First Degree Murder is 15 years and Mr. Laplante is facing a persistent violator enhancement that takes the maximum to life in prison. Mr. Grimm has a prior murder conviction from 1996 out of Spokane.
“I want to thank all the officers involved in this case. The investigations done by the Lewiston Police Department and the Nez Perce County Sheriff’s office were instrumental in obtaining these convictions. I also want to thank the staff in my office for their hard work over the last several weeks and especially the efforts of Prosecutors April Smith, Kali Jo Parker and Jazz Patzer in getting justice in these cases,” said Prosecutor Justin Coleman.
“Keeping these two dangerous individuals off the street and behind bars as long as possible will keep our community safer,” said Coleman.