Charge changes in case against suspect in North Idaho pastor’s shooting

The man accused of shooting Coeur d’Alene Pastor Tim Remington in March no longer faces a charge of attempted murder.

The Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office dropped that charge Wednesday and instead has charged Kyle Andrew Odom with aggravated battery, the Spokesman-Review reports.

Both crimes carry the same maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, but battery can be easier to prove because it’s a “general intent” crime rather than a “specific intent” crime. The prosecution only needs to prove Odom meant to shoot Remington, not that he intended to cause him injury.

Prosecutors also are charging Odom with using a deadly weapon in committing the felony – a potential sentence enhancement that could give him another 15 years behind bars if convicted.

“We talked with the Remington family and law enforcement in advance of making the change to the complaint,” Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Barry McHugh said Wednesday.

Remington, the pastor at The Altar Church, survived being shot six times with a .45-caliber handgun on March 6 outside the church he started. He continues to recuperate at his home near Coeur d’Alene and is again walking.

Remington has said he forgives Odom and wants to try to help rehabilitate him.

Odom was arraigned May 9 and is being held in jail on a $500,000 bond. A preliminary hearing, set for June 3, will establish whether prosecutors have sufficient evidence of the crimes.

This story was originally published May 25, 2016 at 7:23 PM with the headline "Charge changes in case against suspect in North Idaho pastor’s shooting."