County may be forced to refund drug case fines

COLFAX - Whitman County may have to refund fines to people formerly convicted of drug offenses going back 50 years.

County officials discussed the possibility on Monday, which stems from the state Supreme Court relating to what is known as the Blake decision.

The Blake name comes from Shannon Blake, a Spokane resident who borrowed a pair of jeans from a friend that contained a small bag of methamphetamine in one of the pockets.

The case was heard in February and the state Supreme Court ruled in in a 5-4 decision that nullified the felony drug possession law because it did not require prosecuto...