King County Resumes Inquests Into Police Killings Tuesday

Seattle WA

14 March, 2022

5:45 PM

Description

KING COUNTY, WA — King County will move ahead this week with inquests into killings by law enforcement, four years after officials hit pause on the process to make adjustments. King County Executive Dow Constantine put the process on hold in 2018 after several law enforcement agencies filed lawsuits. The state Supreme Court reaffirmed the order last year, and the county has spent the months since refining its procedures. Differing from criminal trials, inquest hearings are designed as a public process to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding deaths at the hands of officers and deputies. The state's highest court ruled such panels can consider whether people killed by police died by "criminal means," and if the people involved asked in accordance with their policies and training. Inquests can also utilize subpoenas. Constantine signed an updated order guiding inquests in July, and the first hearing is scheduled to begin Tuesday. "The road has been long, but I am thankful we can begin conducting inquests and providing the public with answers," Constantine said in a statement Monday. "The pandemic and legal challenges aside, building a process that the public can have faith in has been a difficult but necessary task, and I hope it can provide closure in these difficult and heartbreaking cases." The first inquest will issue findings on the death of Damarius Butts, 19, who was shot and killed by Seattle officers outside the Federal Office Building in 2017. According to Constantine's office, that hearing is expected to take two weeks and will be overseen by retired judge Michael Spearman. Six other inquests are planned, including over the death of Charleena Lyles, a Seattle mother killed by police in 2017. Officials said the next two inquests, examining the killings of Albert Fredericks and Robert Lightfeather, are likely to move forward in the coming months, and dozens more remain under review for potential referral from the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. Learn more about the inquest process and track upcoming hearings on the King County website.