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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Prosecuting attorney

Related Coverage, Page 2

Primary election creates odd bedfellows

When he announced his candidacy for Spokane County prosecutor, Dave Stevens called the incumbent, Steve Tucker, an “absent administrator.” But after coming in fourth in a six-way primary, Stevens said this week he will endorse Tucker for prosecutor in the November election.

Incumbents persevere, but challenges await

Thousands of votes are still to be counted from Tuesday’s primary, but along with most races, some lessons are clear. Lesson 1: It may be uncomfortable to be an incumbent this year, but it’s not fatal. Few incumbents were eliminated in the state’s top-two primary, but some clearly have their work ahead of them.

Jury convicts man in ’08 murder

A Stevens County jury on Wednesday found Christopher H. Devlin guilty of aggravated first-degree murder for the May 2008 slaying of 52-year-old Daniel Heily, whose bullet-riddled body was found behind a Deer Park liquor store. The jury deliberated three days before convicting Devlin, 57. Because Heily was a state’s witness, Devlin faces only one possible sentence – life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Election results offer up valuable lessons

Thousands of votes are still to be counted from Tuesday’s primary, but along with most races, some lessons are clear.

Primary over. Lessons learned?

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Election roundup: Murray, Rossi tie on the gloves

Sen. Patty Murray will face Dino Rossi in the November general election, continuing the fight for a U.S. Senate seat that started even before the Republican former legislator got into the race in May. With hundreds of thousands of ballots still to count, Murray was pulling down the most votes Tuesday night in the state’s top-two primary, and Rossi was a somewhat distant second, but far ahead of tea party favorite Clint Didier, a former NFL player turned Eltopia farmer. Bellingham businessman Paul Akers ran a distant fourth.

Candidate sues another over contract

Spokane County assessor candidate Sadie Charlene Cooney is suing prosecutor candidate Frank Malone for alleged failure to pay an $81,077 debt. The dispute springs from a contract in which Malone purchased the law firm of Cooney’s late husband, Joseph M. Cooney.

Editorial: Bugbee has skills to lead prosecutors

In 2006, with the Otto Zehm controversy raging, The Spokesman-Review gave Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Tucker a tepid endorsement because his opponents were so weak. This time the field is stronger. Tucker rode to office in 1998 on a wave of disapproval over the heavy-handed management of his predecessor. Unfortunately, his hands-off style has caused the pendulum to swing in the other direction. He does not call press conferences to get ahead of controversial matters. He does not use the office to educate the public on why prosecutions are handled a certain way. Like it or not, public perception of the office matters, but he stays silent.

Prosecutor hindered by cuts

A consultant says he found no “aha” solution to a budget-driven slowdown in the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office. “A budget cut of the size imposed upon the prosecutor’s office is bound to have serious repercussions, as it appears that it did,” longtime Florida prosecutor Randy McGruther reported.

Spokane County prosecutor

To allow readers to compare and contrast the five candidates for Spokane County prosecutor, The Spokesman-Review asked the candidates the same three questions: • How concerned should the public be over the large number of felony suspects being released without charges being filed within 72 hours?

Four seek to unseat prosecutor

When defense attorney Chris Bugbee addressed a room full of Republicans in June, he told them that he not only intends to defeat incumbent Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker, Bugbee said he intends to retire from the office. The bold prediction not only illustrates Bugbee’s quick emergence as a front-runner but how contentious the primary contest has become.

Four seek to unseat prosecutor

When defense attorney Chris Bugbee addressed a room full of Republicans in June, he told them that he not only intends to defeat incumbent Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker, Bugbee said he intends to retire from the office. The bold prediction not only illustrates Bugbee’s quick emergence as a front-runner but how contentious the primary contest has become.

Spokane County prosecutor candidates, issues

To allow readers to compare and contrast the five candidates for Spokane County prosecutor, The Spokesman-Review asked the candidates the same three questions.

Sheriff’s ‘support’ falls in gray area

A testament to the popularity of Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich may be the level to which candidates for Spokane County prosecutor are seeking his support. The situation came to a head last week when incumbent Steve Tucker announced during a debate that he had the support of Knezovich. Asked to clarify that support, Tucker made it clear that the sheriff has not endorsed his candidacy.

Tucker, Bugbee get dual endorsement

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Tucker, Bugbee get split endorsement

The Republicans of Spokane County came to a split decision following an election forum earlier this week: The group endorsed both incumbent Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker and challenger Chris Bugbee. That left out Republican challenger Dave Stevens, who earlier earned the endorsement of the Spokane County Republican Party.

Prosecutor, challengers face off at forum

Two Republican candidates for Spokane County prosecutor took turns throwing haymakers at 12-year incumbent Steve Tucker at a forum Monday that did not include two other hopefuls. Chris Bugbee and Dave Stevens, who both worked under Tucker, challenged his leadership and community outreach at the event sponsored by Republicans of Spokane County. Democratic candidate Frank Malone and self-proclaimed “Law and Order” candidate Jim Reierson were not invited, although Reierson attended.

Police guild endorses Tucker rival

The Spokane Police Guild has endorsed attorney Chris Bugbee in his bid to unseat his former boss, Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker.

Federal court hears Zehm case beginning Monday

A trial that starts Monday in federal court is as much about the credibility of the Spokane Police Department as it is the officer charged with using excessive force and lying to investigators, some in Spokane’s legal community say. City detectives found no wrongdoing by fellow Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. and told Spokane County prosecutors that they could find no evidence that he used excessive force when he beat Otto Zehm with a police baton and shocked him with a Taser on March 18, 2006. Other officers joined the struggle and Zehm eventually was hogtied for about 17 minutes, a plastic mask with a dime-size breathing hole on his face, before he stopped breathing.

AMR report could play key role in officer’s trial

On the night of the fatal confrontation with Otto Zehm, Spokane police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. told a fellow officer that he’d hit Zehm in the head with his police baton – an act that he and the city have acknowledged would be an unjustified use of lethal force. An ambulance emergency medical technician wrote a pre-hospital patient-care report saying Thompson told Officer Tim Moses that Thompson had hit Zehm in the head and neck. But that report apparently was never turned over to prosecutors by the Spokane Police Department’s lead investigator on the case.