Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – It appears there will not be a trial in the case of Keith Birdwell, charged last year along with his wife with major theft in connection with their used car business.

The 48-year-old from Toledo was in Lewis County Superior Court today when attorneys told the judge they are working out the details of a plea deal. His trial was set to begin on Monday.

Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg asked the judge to set aside time at 9 a.m. Monday for a hearing in which Birdwell would enter a plea.

“I’m confident we’ll be proceeding,” Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Eric Eisenberg said when the judge pondered advising potential jurors to show up on Tuesday instead of Monday, just in case.

Eisenberg said he also still needs to get input from the victim in the case, Security State Bank.

Birdwell and his wife Lorrine D. Birdwell are alleged to have used various deceptions to avoid paying back the bank on loans for the vehicles at Birdwell Brothers Auto Sales. Prosecutors have contended the unrecovered losses to the bank are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Neither Eisenberg nor Tacoma lawyer Keith McFie would reveal what the agreement consisted of, but McFie said he will be asking for sentencing to take place about a month later.

He also said, and Eisenberg confirmed, the plea deal is tied together with an arrangement to be worked out with Lorrine D. Birdwell and her attorney.

Her trial is on the calendar for later this year.

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For background, read “Centralia used car lot owners appear in court on criminal charges” from Wednesday January 23, 2013, here

Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter

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