Huckleberries Online

JeanieS: Jay Olsen Verdict Appalling

Posted by DFO

March 16, 2009 4:49 p.m. • 21 comments

I was very interested in the Jay Olsen trial because I was on jury duty these last two weeks, my time ended the day the Olsen trial ended. I wasn’t picked for a jury - for whatever reason. My friendship with police officers? My acquaintance with several attorneys and judges? My father being a former editor of The Chronicle? I was appalled at the verdict. And I really truly question how the jurors came to their decision. I wonder if they caved because of it being late Friday and they didn’t want to go through the weekend. And there is a “law” that is presented to the jury that is straight from the judge and it is that law that the jury needs to comply with and make their decision on. Even if the jury was excluded from hearing about Shonto Pete’s trial results, they should have considered an intoxicated, off-duty cop, running through residential streets shooting several rounds from his personal weapon as “reckless endangerment”/JeanieS, Nuts & Nonsense. More here.

Question: What is your reaction to the innocent verdict rendered by the jury in the case involving Spokane police officer Jay Olsen?

21 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

Cis on March 16 at 5:06 p.m.
The comments here after the verdict came in, were that there was or could have been in the jury’s decision, reasonable doubt. What I can not fathom, is the testimony of the officer who said there was a call from Pete of confessional of stealing the truck…yet no finger prints on the inside of the truck of Pete’s…. no recording of that call. and etc.
I am sorry, I would have had reasonable doubt of his testimony, being truthful…. as he had nothing but his word, and it didn’t hold water with me.
cantyoureadthesigns on March 16 at 5:22 p.m.
Stinks to high heaven.

Watch when Olsen loses or settles a civil action suit on this, and the taxpayers of Spokane get the shaft, once again.

Gypsy curse.
Duffer on March 16 at 5:39 p.m.
I agree with Jeanie’s comments. And also Cis and CYRUS! Olsen can be thankful we weren’t on his jury.

It just seems impossible to get justice in Spokane County where there are obvious misdeeds by a few in the law enforcement agencies.
hhuseland on March 16 at 6:10 p.m.
Even if you discount the testimony of both, the evidence still points to: 1. Illegal possession of a loaded gun a a bar
2. Using that weapon while intoxicated.
3. Firing wildly at an unarmed man.
end of story.
hhuseland on March 16 at 6:12 p.m.
When you stack up the Shonto Pete/Olsen fiasco with the gypsy experience, then tack on Otto Zehm, it would appear that Spokane cops are untouchable.
hhuseland on March 16 at 6:14 p.m.
When you stack up the Shonto Pete/Olsen fiasco with the gypsy experience, then tack on Otto Zehm, it would appear that Spokane cops are untouchable. Wait! I just had a thought. If prosecutors are too close to cops to be objective, why not appoint someone from the public defenders office to prosecute, when the defendant is a cop?
Charlie on March 16 at 6:22 p.m.
The “good ole boy” network is alive and well in Spokane. The SPD has gotten away with a bunch of “merde” over the years. I remember back to a few statements from the “south hill rapist” days so their escapades are not new, just an on going problem.
I suppose Mr. Pete can sue the city and Jay Olsen in civil court. It could get expensive Spokane.
Dennis on March 16 at 6:23 p.m.
Actually Herb, you hit upon something here. They could and should have asked for a special prosecutor from another county,,,,,,,or,,,,,,,,,, the AG’s office for a prosecutor for this case. I was rather surprised when I realized that a resquest for a special prosecutor was not made.
gq1 on March 16 at 6:29 p.m.
Well Jeanie, I guess it’s a good thing you weren’t chosen!
Cis on March 16 at 8:28 p.m.
And then add to this vile…. Olsen gets not only his back pay, but he gets..any overtime he MIGHT have gotten if he had been working… WTFH…
mia on March 16 at 10:36 p.m.
I’m with you Jeanie, I too was appalled, I felt sick. I don’t know how exactly shooting someone in the BACK of the head can be considered self defense. It just does not add up. So many laws were broken by Olsen that night! And he walks. Appalling is right!

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.