Category Archives: Law Enforcement

1. SPD Assistant Chief Under Scrutiny

   May 10, 2012 —

   There’s more negative publicity being directed at the Seattle Police Department. This latest wave is focused on SPD Assistant Chief Mike Sanford. On Tuesday, the department’s Office of Professional Accountability announced that it would open an investigation into the conduct of Sanford, and Seattle’s Ethics and Elections Commission indicated that it may conduct its own … [More]

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2. King County Council Taps New Sheriff

   Apr 6, 2012 —

   Earlier this year, King County discovered that it would have to fill its sheriff position. Sheriff Sue Rahr accepted a job offer to become the executive director of the state’s Criminal Justice Training Commission. By law, an election must be held this coming November to determine who will succeed her as King County Sheriff. But … [More]

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3. UPDATE: Officer Acquitted of Kicking Handcuffed Man in Head

   Mar 22, 2012 —

   We told you earlier about the trial of a Seattle Police officer who was charged with kicking a handcuffed man in the head after a scuffle outside a Ballard bar in December of 2010. Garth Haynes was off-duty when he was involved in a brouhaha with three other men who claim they were trying to … [More]

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4. Seattle Police Officer on Trial for Kicking Civilian Outside Bar

   Mar 19, 2012 —

   Opening statements began this week in the trial of an off-duty Seattle police officer who is charged with fourth-degree assault. In December of 2010, a fight broke out near the BalMar nightclub which ended with Officer Sean Haynes stepping on the head of a handcuffed man who was lying on the ground. Jake Baijot-Clary of … [More]

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5. Cop Allegedly Lies Under Oath About Traffic Stop Probable Cause

   Feb 28, 2012 —

   In most court proceedings, the word of a law enforcement officer is generally considered to be truthful, or at the very least is usually given more weight than that of a civilian. That’s because police are assumed to be working in conjunction with the goals of the criminal justice system. But in order to maintain … [More]

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6. Blair Russ Obtains Dismissal Before Trial

   Feb 18, 2012 —

   The taste of freedom.  After obtaining a dismissal in a difficult case Blair Russ discusses what it felt like to walk out of the courtroom with that client.  Please click on the hyperlink to see the video: Blair Russ Discusses Clients Victory   … [More]

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7. Woman Who Had Baby Alone in Cell Gets Almost $1 Million

   Feb 7, 2012 —

   There is little doubt that dealing with the homeless and/or mentally ill in King County is a difficult and complex problem. However, there are certain minimum standards that must be observed in these cases – and a federal jury felt that those standards were violated when a homeless woman gave birth to her child in … [More]

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8. Man Kicked by SPD Officer Lee Now Convicted on Gun Charge

   Feb 4, 2012 —

   There’s an ongoing debate about gun laws in Seattle and the state of Washington. Gun control activists decry the dangers of firearms, while gun rights advocates claim that every person has a right to defend himself or herself against those who could do them harm. This difference of opinion crossed my mind when I found … [More]

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9. U.S Supreme Court Rejects Warrantless GPS Tracking Devices

   Jan 23, 2012 —

   Law enforcement science is advancing at an incredibly fast rate. But sometimes, the changes in the laws themselves aren’t keeping up with the rapid technological progress. That’s why we sometimes need the courts to intervene. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in a case surrounding the tracking of suspects using global positioning … [More]

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10. Seriously Injured Man Mocked by SPD Cops

    Jan 17, 2012 —

    What’s worse than getting hit by a tractor-trailer while jogging, cracking half a dozen ribs, fracturing your skull, and breaking your back? Getting mocked by police officers who are supposed to be “helping” you. That’s what happened to a West Seattle man back on October 24. Tim Nelson was jogging on the West Seattle low … [More]

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11. Auburn Policeman’s Badge, Uniform, Gun Stolen From Car

    Jan 5, 2012 —

    In most jurisdictions, people who steal equipment and other essentials owned or used by police officers are dealt with more harshly by the law than those charged with thefts of non-police items. That’s because law enforcement agencies do not want people running around with weapons, badges, clothing, or other accessories which may later be used … [More]

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12. The Ramifications of the DOJ Report on SPD’s Use of Force

    Dec 20, 2011 —

    People in Seattle are still talking about the report issued last week by the Department of Justice about the Seattle Police Department. The DOJ’s findings of its investigation into SPD practices revealed what the feds called a pattern and practice of inappropriate use of force by many SPD officers. Now that we’ve had time for … [More]

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13. U.S. Department of Justice: SPD Has Problems With Excessive Force

    Dec 16, 2011 —

    For those of you who thought that members of the Seattle Police Department were too quick to use force or too heavy-handed when applying physical force, there are people in the U.S. Justice Department who agree with you. This morning, the DOJ released a scathing report which alleges that SPD has engaged in an unconstitutional … [More]

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14. Washington Criminal Caselaw Update 2011 – State v. Pierce (November 2011)

    Nov 15, 2011 —

    The Court of Appeals, in this unpublished opinion, upheld the trial courts determination of a “gang expert” as an expert under  Evidence Rule 702.  What’s interesting about this otherwise long and tedious opinion is the comment by the Appellate Court that if the defense had shown that the expert opinion was nothing but common knowledge … [More]

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15. King County Sheriffs Deputy Kevin Savage Fired After 30 Alleged Instances of Misconduct

    Nov 15, 2011 —

    If a member of law enforcement is on the job long enough, it’s not hard to imagine that he or she could be the target of a few complaints from citizens. There may even be a case or two of misconduct that can be found in files of the longest-tenured law enforcement personnel.  Its a … [More]

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16. Seattle Police Dash-cam Usage Under Review

    Oct 23, 2011 —

    Dashboard-mounted cameras in police cars are intended to improve the transparency of the criminal justice system. Law enforcement officials like dash-cams because they can exonerate officers who are accused of illegal or unethical behavior. Civil rights advocates like dash-cams because they can provide evidence of improper or unlawful police activity. So why aren’t Seattle Police … [More]

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17. Washington State Patrol Lieutenants Union Unhappy About Probe Into Lieutenant Gardiner’s Overtime

    Oct 12, 2011 —

    How many jobs do you know where a supervisor makes less money in a year than his subordinate? (OK – besides professional sports.) Not many, right? So if someone told you that a lieutenant in the Washington State Patrol earned more money in 2010 than the chief of the entire unit, would that make you … [More]

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