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Folklife shooting suspect pleads guilty

XD45PlusP

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The gunman who shot and wounded two people at the Seattle Center during the Folklife Festival in May has pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree assault.

The guilty plea means Clinton Chad Grainger, 22, could face a jail term of 3 to 8 months when he is sentenced Aug. 29.

But King County deputy prosecutor Ian Goodhew said because the conviction is for a class C felony, Grainger qualifies for the first-time offender waiver, meaning he would spend no additional time in custody. He would, however, face up to two years of community supervision.

Grainger has been in the King County Jail since the shooting May 24, but was released Monday, according to jail records.

Grainger went to the Folklife Festival with a gun strapped to his ankle. He got into a fight with another man and when the other man realized Grainger had a gun, he began to struggle with Grainger for control of the weapon.

During the scuffle, the gun discharged. A man and a woman sitting nearby were hit by the gunfire.

Grainger, of Snohomish, who has a history of mental illness, was initially charged with two counts of second-degree assault, and had faced up to 45 months in prison.

But in a statement Tuesday, the King County Prosecutor's Office said that proving second-degree assault would have required showing that Grainger intended to shoot the two victims.

The investigation failed to show evidence of an intentional assault by Grainger, the statement said, but prosecutors believe Grainger's conduct in bringing a gun to the festival and getting in a fight with another man over the weapon did amount to criminal negligence.

Grainger legally owned the gun involved in the shooting. By pleading guilty to a felony, Grainger will now be prohibited from possessing a firearm.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/374757_folklife13.html
 

Bear 45/70

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Why wasn't the other guy charged with assault and battery, since he started the fight? Seem that justice is more politically oriented than balanced in this case.
 

Bear 45/70

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Gene Beasley wrote:
Not disagreeing with you Bear, but just for clarification, Washington has no "Assault and Battery" per se. There is assault in various degrees as outlined in RCW 9A.36.
Ok, why wasn't the asshole charged with assault, what ever degree. Mainly because his actions cause the shooting, maybe should have been charged as an assessory to the shooting, before the fact.
 

Triple Tap

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XD45PlusP wrote:
The gunman who shot and wounded two people at the Seattle Center during the Folklife Festival in May has pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree assault.

The guilty plea means Clinton Chad Grainger, 22, could face a jail term of 3 to 8 months when he is sentenced Aug. 29.

But King County deputy prosecutor Ian Goodhew said because the conviction is for a class C felony, Grainger qualifies for the first-time offender waiver, meaning he would spend no additional time in custody. He would, however, face up to two years of community supervision.

Grainger has been in the King County Jail since the shooting May 24, but was released Monday, according to jail records.

Grainger went to the Folklife Festival with a gun strapped to his ankle. He got into a fight with another man and when the other man realized Grainger had a gun, he began to struggle with Grainger for control of the weapon.

During the scuffle, the gun discharged. A man and a woman sitting nearby were hit by the gunfire.

Grainger, of Snohomish, who has a history of mental illness, was initially charged with two counts of second-degree assault, and had faced up to 45 months in prison.

But in a statement Tuesday, the King County Prosecutor's Office said that proving second-degree assault would have required showing that Grainger intended to shoot the two victims.

The investigation failed to show evidence of an intentional assault by Grainger, the statement said, but prosecutors believe Grainger's conduct in bringing a gun to the festival and getting in a fight with another man over the weapon did amount to criminal negligence.

Grainger legally owned the gun involved in the shooting. By pleading guilty to a felony, Grainger will now be prohibited from possessing a firearm.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/374757_folklife13.html
History of Mental Illness..... Legally owning the Gun? Uh?

I bet the stupid state gave him a CPL too. He must have checked all the right boxes.
 

MadHatter66

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So let me get this straight... From what I get from this article, if I go to folk life packing, some guy starts a fight and goes for my gun, and I was to shoot him, I would be in the wrong? Now I know that is a little different, a bystander got shot in the process... But this looks like they were going to try him on the fact that he had a gun there...

I guess the other difference is that I have no history of mental illness, which should play into it...

And I agree with bear, this wouldn't have been a problem if the other guy hadn't started the fight, he should be charged too...
 

3/325

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The story only says "He got into a fight with another man...", it doesn't say who started it (unless I missed something).

IF Grainger started the fight, then I really don't have much sympathy for him. When you accept the responsibilities that go with carrying, you forego the luxury of behaving like a jackass in public.

IF the other guy started it, then he should be held responsible for the results.
 

Bear 45/70

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3/325 wrote:
The story only says "He got into a fight with another man...", it doesn't say who started it (unless I missed something).

IF Grainger started the fight, then I really don't have much sympathy for him. When you accept the responsibilities that go with carrying, you forego the luxury of behaving like a jackass in public.

IF the other guy started it, then he should be held responsible for the results.

NOT IF but did, why wouldGrainger start a fight because someone because they saw his gun? The aticle says

" He got into a fight with another man and when the other man realized Grainger had a gun, he began to struggle with Grainger for control of the weapon."

That says to me the guy tried a gun grab and that's how this all started. But then this whole charging and trial deal was totally politically motivated by Mayor Nucklehead and crew anyway. Otherwise the guy that started the fight would have been charged.
 

j2l3

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A "little" different story from the Seattle Times. Says they were fighting and Grainger reached for his gun. IF that is the case, then I can maybe see the other guy trying to take it. That's IF it happened that way.


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008109950_folklife13m.html


Folklife shooter pleads guilty to assault
A Snohomish man who opened fire at Seattle's Folklife Festival in May, wounding two and sending festivalgoers scurrying for cover, has pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree assault.

By Jennifer Sullivan

Seattle Times staff reporter

A Snohomish man who opened fire at Seattle's Folklife Festival, wounding a couple and sending festivalgoers scurrying for cover, has pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree assault.

Clinton Grainger, a house painter with a history of drug addiction and schizophrenia, could receive up to eight months in jail when sentenced on Aug. 29, said Ian Goodhew, chief of staff for the King County Prosecutor's Office. Grainger pleaded guilty in King County Superior Court on Monday.

Police say that at about 6:30 p.m. on May 24, Grainger got into a fight with a man near the International Fountain at Seattle Center during the annual Folklife Festival, according to court charging papers. Grainger pushed the man and reached toward his ankle, where he had a pistol stashed in an ankle holster, charging documents say.

The man tackled Grainger in an attempt to wrestle the gun away from him, charging papers say. A second man joined in, and the gun went off — the gunpowder burned the face of one of the men, court papers say. The bullet then passed through a man's hand and a woman's thigh.

Grainger had obtained a concealed-weapons permit from the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office.

Goodhew said that Grainger initially was charged with second-degree assault but the charge was reduced when investigators couldn't find evidence of an intentional assault.

The conviction will prohibit Grainger from legally possessing firearms in the future.

"It was appropriately resolved as a negligent assault," Goodhew said. "The evidence we gathered clearly showed there was negligence on his part and no intent of a shooting."

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com
 

G27

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Morale of the story: Don't bring a gun to a fist fight? lol.

I really do not think pulling a gun out on a fist fight is justified. I also don't think the fear for life card can be pulled cause this was broad daylight with cops all over the place and a crowded lot. I am sure someone would have interjected, like they did, and stopped the fight.

He got what he deserved, personally.
 

Bear 45/70

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G27 wrote:
Morale of the story: Don't bring a gun to a fist fight? lol.

I really do not think pulling a gun out on a fist fight is justified. I also don't think the fear for life card can be pulled cause this was broad daylight with cops all over the place and a crowded lot. I am sure someone would have interjected, like they did, and stopped the fight.

He got what he deserved, personally.
I think he got screwed by the politically motivated system in Seattle. I don't think either paper has the truth of it.
 

Triple Tap

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The way I see it, he shouldnt have had the gun in the first place, crazy drug addict. Snohomish County PD should take some blame in this for giving him a damn CPL, this is what the background check is for.
 

Johnny Law

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Triple Tap wrote:
The way I see it, he shouldnt have had the gun in the first place, crazy drug addict. Snohomish County PD should take some blame in this for giving him a damn CPL, this is what the background check is for.
Unless he had a documented criminal history of drug use (had been arrested/charged) this would not show up on a background check. Neither would his mental state unless he had actually been committed, and sometimes not even then. Unfortunately he likely had avoided arrest or commital until this incident.
 

Gray Peterson

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Possibly. The fact that he had mental health issues and methadone issues probably is what really screwed him. If it were any of us (who I generally assume to not have that problem) and it turned out that the one fighting with Grainger just started attacking him because he had a gun, it would have turned out a lot differently.

I think that Grainger may have made statements that may have incriminated himself. If you ever have a situation where your firearm is discharged, keep your mouth shut until you've seen and follow the advice of an attorney.

I also recommend having some money into an account to specifically for criminal defense. You can also become a member of a legal services group such as the CHL Protection Plan, which covers you for criminal defense.
 

just_a_car

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Johnny Law wrote:
Triple Tap wrote:
The way I see it, he shouldnt have had the gun in the first place, crazy drug addict. Snohomish County PD should take some blame in this for giving him a damn CPL, this is what the background check is for.
Unless he had a documented criminal history of drug use (had been arrested/charged) this would not show up on a background check. Neither would his mental state unless he had actually been committed, and sometimes not even then. Unfortunately he likely had avoided arrest or commital until this incident.
I actually have to agree with TT here, JL. Agent47 said he remembered this guy from when he tried to come into the shop and purchase a handgun and nearly hit his own mother. A47 also reported that his check came back clean, but that he didn't feel comfortable making the sale and the manager supported his decision. When he informed SnoCo SD of the situation, I would think they should have delved a little deeper into his background, since it was obvious he wasn't mentally stable and was trying to purchase a firearm.
 

Bear 45/70

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just_a_car wrote:
Johnny Law wrote:
Triple Tap wrote:
The way I see it, he shouldnt have had the gun in the first place, crazy drug addict. Snohomish County PD should take some blame in this for giving him a damn CPL, this is what the background check is for.
Unless he had a documented criminal history of drug use (had been arrested/charged) this would not show up on a background check. Neither would his mental state unless he had actually been committed, and sometimes not even then. Unfortunately he likely had avoided arrest or commital until this incident.
I actually have to agree with TT here, JL. Agent47 said he remembered this guy from when he tried to come into the shop and purchase a handgun and nearly hit his own mother. A47 also reported that his check came back clean, but that he didn't feel comfortable making the sale and the manager supported his decision. When he informed SnoCo SD of the situation, I would think they should have delved a little deeper into his background, since it was obvious he wasn't mentally stable and was trying to purchase a firearm.
Regardless of his history and the failure of the system. They still screwed him over for political reasons and not for what he did.
 

ElJefe1911

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So since neither of the papers tell the whole truth, what is the truth? I also don't see how Snoho Co should take any blame unless it is documented in a court of law this person had been committed. If you were to deny him the right to buy a gun based on one mans untrained opinion of his mental state you create a very slippery slope.
 

Bear 45/70

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ElJefe1911 wrote:
So since neither of the papers tell the whole truth, what is the truth? I also don't see how Snoho Co should take any blame unless it is documented in a court of law this person had been committed. If you were to deny him the right to buy a gun based on one mans untrained opinion of his mental state you create a very slippery slope.
We will never know the actual truth, the Nickles people don't want you to know. This incident is allowing them to pursue the illegal anti gun program.
 

Johnny Law

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just_a_car wrote:
Johnny Law wrote:
Triple Tap wrote:
The way I see it, he shouldnt have had the gun in the first place, crazy drug addict. Snohomish County PD should take some blame in this for giving him a damn CPL, this is what the background check is for.
Unless he had a documented criminal history of drug use (had been arrested/charged) this would not show up on a background check. Neither would his mental state unless he had actually been committed, and sometimes not even then. Unfortunately he likely had avoided arrest or commital until this incident.
I actually have to agree with TT here, JL. Agent47 said he remembered this guy from when he tried to come into the shop and purchase a handgun and nearly hit his own mother. A47 also reported that his check came back clean, but that he didn't feel comfortable making the sale and the manager supported his decision. When he informed SnoCo SD of the situation, I would think they should have delved a little deeper into his background, since it was obvious he wasn't mentally stable and was trying to purchase a firearm.
I can certainly see your concern, but if there was no documented history, how could SnoCo find anything out about him?



ElJefe1911 wrote:
So since neither of the papers tell the whole truth, what is the truth? I also don't see how Snoho Co should take any blame unless it is documented in a court of law this person had been committed. If you were to deny him the right to buy a gun based on one mans untrained opinion of his mental state you create a very slippery slope.


Would it not be a violation of his rights to deny him a gun purchase based on one man's opinion of him? Seems to go against the grain of all that we hold sacred here.
 

maclean

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Bear 45/70 wrote:
ElJefe1911 wrote:
So since neither of the papers tell the whole truth, what is the truth? I also don't see how Snoho Co should take any blame unless it is documented in a court of law this person had been committed. If you were to deny him the right to buy a gun based on one mans untrained opinion of his mental state you create a very slippery slope.
We will never know the actual truth, the Nickles people don't want you to know. This incident is allowing them to pursue the illegal anti gun program.
No fan of Mayor Twinkie, but he has nothing to do with a decision that originates in the King County Prosecutor's Office.
 
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