Spokane7
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August 25, 2009 in City
Thompson supporters raise cash
Officer faces charges in Otto Zehm death
Friends of Otto Zehm wore small blue buttons that read “Otto” in support of the mentally ill janitor, after he died in 2006 following a struggle with Spokane police.
Now friends of Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. are rallying with $10 blue wristbands to raise money for Thompson’s “out-of- pocket” expenses as he awaits trial in federal court on charges of using unreasonable force against Zehm and lying to detectives who investigated the incident. Thompson has been transferred to desk duty and is still collecting his salary of about $73,000 a year, not including overtime. The city of Spokane and the federal government are paying his defense costs in the civil and criminal cases against him.
Thompson was the first officer to encounter Zehm in a convenience store on March 18, 2006, responding to what later turned out to be an erroneous robbery call made by two young women at a nearby ATM. Thompson struck Zehm with a police baton and repeatedly used his Taser on him.
As of Monday, more than 200 Facebook users were fans of the “We Support Karl Thompson” page.
The page reads: “This page, administered by a co-worker of Karl’s, is to show our support for Officer Karl Thompson, who has become a media scapegoat, wrongly accused, and wrongly charged.”
Police spokeswoman Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said Officer Kevin King created the page. King could not be reached for comment.
DeRuwe, who is listed on Facebook as a supporter of the campaign, said she paid $10 for a wristband. The money is being deposited into an account at the Spokane Law Enforcement Credit Union.
“I was going to give money whether I had a bracelet or not,” she said. “It’s just one more way to show support and raise money so that as a collective group we are visibly showing our support.”
Thompson could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine if convicted of lying to investigators and up to 10 years and the same maximum fine for the unreasonable-force charge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Durkin said he could not comment about the fundraising effort for Thompson, who was originally scheduled to go to trial next month. That trial date most likely will be changed to April or May, Durkin said.
Jeffry Finer, one of two attorneys representing Zehm’s mother in a civil case against the city, said he understands why other officers support Thompson.
“But their support is not the same thing as exoneration,” said Finer, of the public-interest law firm Center for Justice. “It’s not surprising that Officer Thompson would be a symbol for his supporters just the way Otto was a symbol of the community he represented.”
Thompson’s attorney, Carl Oreskovich, said any money raised by the campaign for the officer’s defense will be disclosed to the court.
In July, U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno agreed with a defense request to declare Thompson indigent despite his salary and ownership interest in the $675,000 home in Hayden where he lives. Prior to his indictment, Thompson divorced his wife and put the house in her name.
As a result, the federal government will pay for Oreskovich’s defense on the criminal charges.
“The case is going to be a long case, a long trial with a significant amount of experts. Although the court has appointed me, the funds are not unlimited,” Oreskovich said. “Anything raised by fellow police officers is greatly appreciated.”
A Spokane County sheriff’s corrections deputy sent a message to all 2,000 county employees seeking support for the “Band of Blue” campaign, an action Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said wasn’t “an appropriate use of county communications.”
The deputy has been told not to do it again, Knezovich said.Breean Beggs, who is co-counsel in the civil suit against the city, said Zehm’s mother does not begrudge the support other officers are giving Thompson.
“Ann Zehm realizes that Officer Thompson’s involvement in the homicide of Otto Zehm will cause him distress for the rest of his life,” Beggs said in a written comment.
“As for financial support, local and federal taxpayers are already financing lawyers for his civil defense and criminal defense. The fact that taxpayer support is rarely offered to victims of police homicides is why Otto’s mother has committed to using the recovery in her civil suit to create a fund for families of victims killed by law enforcement.”
Killing suspect remains at large 
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Rifleman_Dodd on August 25 at 12:12 a.m.
Guilty
BT on August 25 at 7:26 a.m.
Hum, going to the public to support someone who makes enough money to pay for his own attorney! What is the US becoming a nation of pan handlers!!! Hey Karl, why don’t you pull from your retirement from California, pull from you annunity your old enough to, or better yet sell your home!! Stop pan handling you have money to pay for your own attorney!! I’m so sick of people asking for money when they don’t need it..
DocTom on August 25 at 7:46 a.m.
Unions, Unions, Oh Marvelous Unions. The scourge of all good taxpayers.
Betty on August 25 at 8:08 a.m.
When do free-loaders decide they don’t need to feed at the public trough again and again?? that salary for a former CA officer is enough to support a home like he had? Would love to see what he cashed out on to come retire here from CA after probably selling a home there for the whole million bucks and be so short of tolerance towards a pop bottle??
lewis8457 on August 25 at 8:33 a.m.
support your local murderer that is ripe. Boo-Hoo Thompson cant live with a 75 grand income, must be nice to make so much and still get enough of your co-workers to drum up more money. This is the Olsen fiasco all over again.
philipgregory on August 25 at 11:46 a.m.
Zehm is the victim - not this SPD bully.
Rifleman_Dodd on August 25 at 1:52 p.m.
I reccommend everyone sign up to their two-faced-book account even if you dont support him, just to cause them to have to weed you out.
If Kirkpatrick has any balls, she would put an end to this. As long as they are using their Law Enforcement rank, then its City Business.
Fishwife on August 25 at 3:41 p.m.
Why does this cop get a cadillac defense when poor snuffy does not? Oreskvovich will run the bill up four times what his 100 k agreement is now. What a travesty. And the U.S.Attorney is a lame duck. This case goes nowhere. It will be up to the civil lawsuit to get justice.
liarsinnews on August 25 at 4:20 p.m.
Why is the Police Department Spokesperson allowed to publicly ask for donations to give to Thompson, and saying she pitched in 10 bucks? Is that what the taxpayers pay her for? I will not be surprised if the Police Chief is next and starts begging for money from the Mayors office. The local taxpayers are defending the city against the federal law suit by taxpayers who are suing the city taxpayers. FIGURES..
Rick_Penn on August 25 at 4:48 p.m.
Well Dick…… Its her money, and she can spend her $10.00 any way she wishes.
I cant wait until the economy improves so that all of the ignorant people who have responded can find a job and stop hogging the computer in their local library.
One thing you people have ONCE AGAIN FAILED to recognize is that Thompson is innocent until proven guilty.
Since you all feel so strongly about it, don’t buy a wrist band, and hey you know what ?
Maybe one of you flunkies can make your own facebook page and then sell a “We want to deny due process to Karl Thompson” wrist bands.
Give me a break.
DocTom on August 25 at 5:17 p.m.
I see that Mr. Penn has the social grace of the proverbial catfish.
Rifleman_Dodd on August 25 at 5:27 p.m.
DocTom..aren’t catfish bottom feeders? or does that go without saying?
Due process is one thing. Us paying for it while he’s drawing $75K a year as a paper shuffler.
I thought we should sell small pieces of string in a noose configuration that can be worn on the lapel to help pay for a competent set of prosecutors. You know, not the Jay Olsen ones.
Rick_Penn on August 25 at 8:59 p.m.
I’ve lived here going on 9 years and I have grown tired of the hatred toward law enforcement in this city. The Spokesman Review seems to fuel that fire-ALOT
You are brilliant Dodd… You are for sure the sharpest TOOL in the shed. “Sell small pieces of string in a noose configuration.” Seriously, what is that all about.
You people get so involved in spewing your pitiful agendas that are willing to disregard our constitution just because the guy happens to be a cop ?
This is ridiculous. You should be ashamed.
liarsinnews on August 25 at 9:13 p.m.
Rick Penn, has the right to believe anything he wants to. It appears he is reading too much fiction and not enough non-fiction.
Rifleman_Dodd on August 30 at 2:18 a.m.
Im ashamed we let Rick_Penn spew his hatred and thats not disregarding the Constitution.
Goblin_Princess on August 30 at 7:31 p.m.
Hey Rick Penn, was Otto innocent until beaten to death? Or do you only apply your innocent until proven guilty principle to murderous cops? Seemed to me Thompson made like prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner in those few seconds as he rushed in to start beating on Otto. Watch the tape.
Rifleman_Dodd on August 31 at 11:36 a.m.
I suggest a FULL crime scene re-enactment with Rick_Penn as the body double for Otto Zehm.
rightwingextreme on May 24 at 9:51 p.m.
ANYONE WHO BELIEVE THIS PUKE COP IS INNOCENT IS OBVIOUSLY ANOTHER CORRUPT PUKE COP OF FAMILY MEMBER!!! THE TAPE COULDN’T HAVE SHOWN IT ANY CLEARER OTTO ZEHM WAS BEATEN TO DEATH BY A SCUMBAG OF A COP!!! I ONLY HOPE THAT THOMPSON GETS SENT TO PRISON AND IS IN THE GEMERAL POPULATION AND GET BEAT UP AND BUTT REAMED EVERY DAY!!! HE DESERVES NOTHING LESS!!! WHEN DID IT BECOME OK TO BEAT A RETARD TO DEATH!!! WHAT A BUNCH OF PUKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!