Slain carver's family asks that officer be charged (Seattle)

[uppityperson]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014002351_apwaseattlepoliceshooting.html

Relatives of a woodcarver fatally shot by a Seattle police officer have met with King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, asking him to charge the officer in the death of John T. Williams.

That private meeting took place Friday in Seattle. A spokesman for the John T. Williams Organizing Committee then read aloud a letter the family members delivered to Satterberg.

On Thursday, a coroner's inquest jury returned its findings in the Aug. 30 shooting, with just one of its eight members saying the carver posed any threat. Four jurors said Williams did not pose a threat and three others said they didn't know.

The jury was not asked to decide whether Officer Ian Birk committed any wrongdoing.

Evidence from the inquest will be forwarded to Satterberg to determine whether Birk should be charged. A decision is expected by mid-February.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2014000924_edit22inquest.html

[uppityperson]

1. kick to up on page

[Missy Vixen]

2. Let's see if Satterberg will do the right thing

Namely, charging Birk with manslaughter at the least.

I'm not holding out much hope at this point; the police department here has a serious problem, evinced by the fact the Department of Justice has already been asked by multiple groups to launch an investigation.

[uppityperson]

4. Do you know if the DOJ is going to investigate them?

I've read that they were asked by several groups, but not if they responded.

[Scruffy1]

3. The video is just shocking.

It's so obvious that threat man was no threat to anyone.