King County Executive plans inquest

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What is the point of Dow Constantine doing this?



http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/theblotter/2010796910_executive_to_order_an_inquest.html

Inquest planned into fatal shooting of Maurice Clemmons


Posted by Jennifer Sullivan




King County Executive Dow Constantine plans to order a fact-finding trial, or an inquest, into the slaying of Maurice Clemmons, the man who killed four Lakewood police officers in late November.

Seattle police Officer Benjamin Kelly fatally shot Clemmons during the early morning hours of Dec. 1. Kelly had been doing paperwork on a stolen car when he encountered Clemmons in the 4400 block of South Kenyon Street in South Seattle.

Clemmons had been the subject of a two-day manhunt after killing four Lakewood police officers in a Parkland coffee shop on Nov. 29, police said.

In King County, the executive traditionally calls for an inquest before a jury to determine whether police were justified in using deadly force. The executive issues the inquest order to King County District Court administration, a prosecutor and a district court judge are also assigned to the case.

During an inquest trial, the police officer involved is normally represented by a civil attorney. The officer will normally testify about the shooting, the jury will also hear from witnesses involved in the case. Clemmons' family may also have a lawyer present during the inquest proceedings.

According to police, Clemmons was armed with a handgun when he was shot by Kelly.

"This is especially tragic and heartbreaking and worthy of an inquest," Christine Lange, spokeswoman for Constantine, said about the Lakewood officers slaying.

Constantine is expected to make an official announcement about the inquest either Friday or early next week.

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You shall find out on friday.

She wants to make sure the officer didn't just shoot out of anger or just because. Make sure it was justified?

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If they don't, there will be some yahoo claiming cover up and that the police acted improperly. If inquests are traditionally done in police shootings, why wouldn't you want one in this case?

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Didn't say I didn't want an inquiry. I am sure the facts will bear out that the officer was justified. If it is SOP then so be it. If it is some sort of attempt to gain politically then it should be noted as such.

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Just a waste of tax payer dollars to tell us what we all already know. The officer was justified.

:banghead:

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He was human garbage as is the family members that helped him.I have no sympathy.Other than I believe the Aunt who tried to assist police and had her house trashed for it.That I have a little problem with.I do in this case believe it was a good shoot and the officer more than likely saved his own life.

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Just a waste of tax payer dollars to tell us what we all already know. The officer was justified.

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We don't officially know that until the shooting is investigated and ruled upon in a manner prescribed by law.

I for one want the police under a hot microscope (the heat relative to the severity of the case) every time they use force, no matter how obvious the circumstances seem.

We aren't supposed to rule this county with hunches and emotion. We are supposed to rule with - well - rules.

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deanf wrote:

Just a waste of tax payer dollars to tell us what we all already know. The officer was justified.

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We don't officially know that until the shooting is investigated and ruled upon in a manner prescribed by law.

I for one want the police under a hot microscope (the heat relative to the severity of the case) every time they use force, no matter how obvious the circumstances seem.

We aren't supposed to rule this county with hunches and emotion. We are supposed to rule with - well - rules.

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Well said Dean.

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Boise PD has a "ombudsman" who does this as does the Ada County Coroner after virtually every higher profile officer involved shooting. I have yet to see them say that the shooting was not justified. Basically it is a CYA thing to make sure every box is checked, i dotted and t crossed.

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deanf wrote:

Just a waste of tax payer dollars to tell us what we all already know. The officer was justified.

Click to expand...

We don't officially know that until the shooting is investigated and ruled upon in a manner prescribed by law.

I for one want the police under a hot microscope (the heat relative to the severity of the case) every time they use force, no matter how obvious the circumstances seem.

We aren't supposed to rule this county with hunches and emotion. We are supposed to rule with - well - rules.

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I agree if that's the case across the board.

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I agree that he was a violent criminal who deserved to die, but I will still defend his right to due process as strongly as I would defend my own.

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I agree that he was a violent criminal who deserved to die, but I will still defend his right to due process as strongly as I would defend my own.

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"Technically" he was the victim of justifiable homicide. Interesting constitutional question: Is a victim (dead or alive) entitled to due process? Separate question: is a dead man entitled to due process? (Criminal due process of course. There is no question that a person or a persons estate is entitled to civil due process. That is without question.)