SPOKANE, Wash. — A somewhat bizarre criminal case against a beleaguered Spokane County inmate has finally wrapped up. William Mitchell, 72, says he recently accepted a plea deal with prosecutors after spending more than two and a half years in jail awaiting trial.
Mitchell’s saga started in January 2017 when he was accused of acting as a getaway driver during a robbery in the parking lot of the Shadle Walmart. An acquaintance of Mitchell’s stole a drone from a couple as it was being unloaded into their car, according to court documents.
Mitchell was accused of hitting one of the victims with his car as he drove himself and the suspect away from the scene. Mitchell was arrested on a robbery and assault charge at the time, but maintained that he was an unwilling participant in the crime and had simply agreed to give another man a ride in exchange for drugs.
“I had no willing or intentional part of this. I gave a guy a ride. He got me high,” Mitchell said.
For the next 33 months, Mitchell’s case would be delayed more than 20 times as attorneys with the Spokane County public defender’s office assigned to his case resigned. Court records blamed a “revolving door” of public defenders who left the county to pursue other jobs.
Mitchell says after accepting a plea deal last week, he was sentenced to just over five years in prison and will be given credit for time already served. Mitchell indicated that he could be released on parole at some point next year.
"I finally settled for a deal,” said the inmate during an interview at the Spokane County jail on Monday. “I just got tired of being in jail. Simple as that."
Court records detailing Mitchell’s agreement with prosecutors weren’t immediately available on Monday afternoon. However, news reports indicated that an assault charge against Mitchell was dropped and a robbery charge was reduced as part of the deal.
Mitchell said he was inclined to take the plea deal given prior criminal convictions and the possibility of a life sentence if convicted again.
"But that still doesn't negate what they did to me, man," said Mitchell of the public defender’s office and the legal system.
The inmate argued that his case was delayed an unreasonable amount of times and that members of the public defender’s office were guilty of government misconduct.
"The judge should have never let that happen. Going on for 33 months, and all of the public defenders, none of them were ready to take me," Mitchell said.
The inmate said he’s now considering filing a lawsuit against the county once he’s released from prison.
"Yeah, they offered me a deal. But it ain't like I didn't have a deal coming,” griped Mitchell.
The director of the Spokane County public defender’s office wasn’t available for comment regarding Mitchell’s case on Monday. Staff with the county prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment either.
Once released from prison, Mitchell said he plans to compile of book of tattoo designs and drawings. The inmate said he previously worked as a tattoo artist in Spokane and various states.
"I've got two volumes already finished,” he said.
More importantly, Mitchell said he was also looking forward to reuniting with his wife, who is also in her 70s.
"Her hair has turned all white. But that's alright, she's still my baby,” Mitchell said. “She's still that girl I met 40 years ago."