Huckleberries Online

PM: Jury Finds Spokane Cop Innocent

Posted by DFO

March 13, 2009 4:59 p.m. • 13 comments

Spokane Police officer James “Jay” Olsen waits in a courtroom today for a jury’s decision from a hearing where the jury determined that Olsen had acted in self-defense in the shooting of Shonto Pete. The decision is separate from Olsen’s ongoing trial on assault charges for his shooting of Pete. The decision means that Olsen’s legal bills will be paid by the taxpayers and that he will receive back pay for the time he was suspended. Story here. Jesse Tinsley/Spokesman-Review.

Cartoon: Seattle newspapering in the 1860s/David Horsey, Seattle PI
Man gets 10 years for abusing Kyra Wine/SR
Spokane sued over Otto Zehm’s death/SR
Idahoans speak out on hunting, fishing fees/Eye On Boise
Schools could lose 3.4% instead of 6.5%/Eye On Boise
UI finalist turns down job because of pay/AP
$100K bail set for prescription drug addict/Bonner County Bee
Benefit set for Highway 95 accident victim/Bonner County Bee

13 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

wheels on March 13 at 5:09 p.m.
Is this headline for real?
JeanC on March 13 at 5:12 p.m.
Sadly it is true.

SIGH!!!!!!!!!
Charlie on March 13 at 6:46 p.m.
Otto Zehm, Shonto Pete, who is next? It could be YOU!
hmoffsuite on March 13 at 6:52 p.m.
But it wasn’t some internal investigation or something that found him not guilty. It was a jury. One, presumably that listened to the testimony and arguments. He may have been, not guilty, of the crime he was indicted for. In any event, he is now not guilty.
Phaedrus on March 13 at 8:16 p.m.
The decision is separate from Olsen’s ongoing trial on assault charges for his shooting of Pete. —
cantyoureadthesigns on March 13 at 9:17 p.m.
““He committed significant violations of department policy. I don’t think he’s getting his job back,” Cossey said. Those violations included getting drunk while off-duty in a local bar with a concealed weapon strapped to his waist, and chasing Pete but not calling 911 or police dispatch during the confrontation.”

So, his OWN LAWYER admits that Olsen committed significant violations of SPD policy, and yet Olsen is going to get full back pay???

WHAT?

And what on-going trial on assault charges, WTH is that, and why would there be a separate trial?

And the jury was never told that Pete had been ajudicated not guilty in the theft of Olsen’s truck? Again, WTF?
lewis8457 on March 14 at 10:39 a.m.
Enter Spokane carefully it is a police state, you have no rights here………..