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June 21, 2010 in News, City
Trial in Zehm death postponed to next year
The federal trial of Spokane Police Officer Karl F. Thompson Jr. has a new date: March 7.
U.S. District Court Judge Fred Van Sickle on Monday reset the trial to next year after federal prosecutors objected to his ruling barring any evidence showing Otto Zehm had not committed a crime on March 18, 2006, which was the night Thompson struck him repeatedly with a police baton, shocked him with a Taser and several other officers helped hogtie him for about 17 minutes before Zehm stopped breathing.
The mentally ill janitor never regained consciousness and died two days later. Thompson faces the felony charges of using excessive force and lying to investigators about the confrontation with Zehm, who was 36.
The trial was set to begin on June 7 but Victor Boutros, a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, said prosecutors wanted to appeal Van Sickle’s ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Van Sickle postponed the trial.
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lewis8457 on June 21 at 6:42 p.m.
So Thompson gets to remain free and on his luxury wage for another 9 months…. will we ever see justice for Otto?
9 more months before we see any accountability of our police, or anyone else for that matter. 9 more months of harassments.
The ombudsman can crawl back into his hole, no reason to pretend he cares no one else does.
gslbball1 on June 21 at 7:02 p.m.
Gee Lewis, you should consider if ever called for jury duty to let the Court know you don’t believe in innocence until proven guitly. Scary.
Nomore on June 21 at 8:24 p.m.
gslbball1…
Love your comment, as Thompson had the opposite view of you and it is clear by VIDEO evidence that he assumed Otto was guilty and took it upon himself to play 4 roles in one.
COP, Judge, Jurry and Exicutioner all wrapped up in one nice untouchable package. Amazing huh??!! Police will always think the worst and you ARE guilty if arrested. PERIOD. If you are innocent until proven then why set bail? Why jail prior to court? Why Arrest? You cannot really believe that age old saying as it is so far from true anymore it’s sick. Yes, I would hope that we could return to our LAWS but it’s been so slated in stone that We the People do not know better and the Gov. has to protect us from ourselves.
west on June 21 at 8:34 p.m.
The advantage of postponing trials is, for the defendant, humans forget the gruesomeness of the crime, the details slip away, time heals hurts, victims are forgotten, memories are not that good anymore, juries are more forgiving. And on and on…
gslbball1 on June 21 at 9:45 p.m.
Lewis–don’t get too worked up over this matter. Juries usually don’t find police guilty in these kinds of cases. Not saying that will be the result here, but the presumption of innocence and burden of proof means something to juries. Interesting things and results happen at the courthouse every day when people are judged by their peers.
Albert on June 21 at 10:04 p.m.
Good evening gslbball1. I am certain that Otto would have agreed with you, providing that he was still alive and not beaten to death for holding a plastic coke bottle. Of course the officer was well within his sworn rights by utilizing a non-issued iron wood baton, and striking Otto in the head with it because Otto would not put his coke bottle down. After all, he made a lethal decision within less than 30 seconds of entering the store that Otto had ample cause of rendering the officer physical harm while in the performance of his duties. Needless to say, you are not up to date with this case, or you are somehow connected with our local jack boots who patrol our streets, regularly abuse the color of law, and maintain a time proven record of this ongoing abuse. Perhaps you need to review the facts before telling Lewis to “don’t get too worked up over this matter”? The citizens and taxpayers of Spokane are very worked up over this senseless murder of an innocent man.
lewis8457 on June 21 at 10:58 p.m.
gslbball1…You are most likely a cop only a cop could possible think Thompson is innocent. We all know he is quilty that is why some of us are worked up over this. Any one of us can be put down by our police and appears there isn’t a damn thing we can do about it.
IF this ever gets into court it will be five years Thompson has been paid well, lied to investigators spent time with his family, enjoyed good times, while Otto is in a box.
Maybe it is time the citizen’s start policing the police and see how they like it. If you see a cop break a law of any kind write it down place, time, date, plate or badge number. Then use your 3 minutes to read the list to the city council, over and over if need be. Time to turn up the heat if we want our city back. Enough is enough I am sick of the waiting, and the harassment.
we need some action from our chicken s**t leaders or they need to get out of town.
Dazzeetrader11 on June 22 at 2:41 a.m.
gsl..the police defender seems to forget the murder is on tape. Further though, now it’s clear Thompsen committed perjury and obstruction, I’m wondering why he’s getting ANY money.
They police guild think the public will forget and the case will be settled quietly. I hope the public remembers this one forever. Makes a good case for more freedom for the ombudsman…..what are these officials hiding anyway??
Oh I forgot, the Guild and the unions got Verner elected. DOn’t suppose there might be a connection since she forgot about the case, hasn’t kept up on it and “probably shouldn’t comment” anything more than an ordinary citizen. Well if that’s true maybe she SHOULD be an ordinary citizen and not the mayor.
mikeln on June 22 at 3:27 a.m.
Justice is for the well to do. The rest of us can suck baton.
Pat O'Leary on June 22 at 5:59 a.m.
If the feckless excuse for a prosecuter, Steve Tucker, had indicted Thompson when he should have, we wouldn’t be in this position. We would have had a trial and the murdering thug would be serving his term in the pen. Remember this when it is time to vote. Tucker failed in his duty when he had the chance to stand up for Otto Zehm. He failed Otto, and he failed justice. Let’s dump him.
gslbball1 on June 22 at 7:10 a.m.
We don’t try people in the press. As I said, most cops walk in these kinds of cases–-I didn’t make that up, just check the stats. Maybe this fella won’t. But whatever happens will be a decision of his peers–the jury–not based on the conclusions people have reached before the trial.
So, Lewis, keep on arguing and ingoring the point–-innocent until proven guilty. And don’t be surprised if this cop walks–you would have to be an imbecile to not pay attention to the fact that juries just don’t convict many police officers in these kinds of cases. Emphasis on “juries”–people in the community.
Scoutster on June 22 at 7:45 a.m.
gslbball1…
You are so right, innocent until proven guilty. I wonder if that was going thru Thompson’s head as he was beating the crap out of Otto?
You are right, cops do usually get off on these things. Is that a point of pride for the police?
lewis8457 on June 22 at 8:40 a.m.
gslbball1… my friend is dead that is the point. you can spin it any way you want but video doesn’t lie. Only you and your cop friends do.
eagleproducer on June 22 at 8:49 a.m.
This decision will also push back the civil trial until the criminal trial is concluded. This means Otto’s mother will probably never see a dime from the wrongful death of her son committed by a city of Spokane employee. At least the city should see the writing on the wall and settle the civil case.
Where are the other indictments we were promised? Didn’t known rogue cop defender Rob Cossey ensure us nearly a month ago that one of his clients was about to be indicted and that as many as eight others faced similar situations?
I’d also like too see some reporting that involves the connection between the Assessor’s office and Cowles family property devaluations that have occurred while on Baker’s watch. 600 acres in Nine Mile Falls with a private lake and numerous buildings owned by Peggy Cowles is only being taxed at a value of $6000.00. The RPS garage have been devalued over eight million dollars since Baker was assessor, his candidacy endorsed by the Spokesman. Other Cowles properties downtown experienced similar declines in value.
Since the revenue needed to fund the County government hasn’t receded under Baker’s watch, this means all the other property tax payers have been subsidizing the Cowles family. When will this ever end?
I just finished reading an MBA thesis from a Spokane man who attended Harvard in the 1970’s. It is titled: The Cowles Empire: A report relating to the effects of Cowles common ownership of Media and Real Estate in Spokane, WA. This document meticulously details how the Cowles family acquired, increased, and seeks to maintain their power, wealth, and control over a vast region known as the Inland Empire.
An excerpt: This is similar to the situation which the several smaller, independent downtown merchants were in when they approached Cowles after learning of the Cowles’ plan for new property developments a t Main Avenue and Post Street.
Recall, this new parking garage and skywalk system routed customers through the department store buildings on the four corners of the properties owned by the Cowles and effectively contained such downtown shoppers from easy access to the smaller, independent merchants not connected into the sky- walk system. I n both instances, the message from the Cowles and their property representative was the same. Essentially, Cowles conveyed the idea that they had to have the approval from City government which they wanted, o r the City would
not get the new downtown development. One of the smaller, independent downtown merchants described the City’s position by saying, “(The city was) over a barrel just like we (the independent downtown merchants) were.” Cowles’ message was I’ve got to have this, or you’re not going to get all these other goodies.” As the downtown merchant put it, “What the hell are you going to do?”
That excerpt concerns the first development of Riverpark Square. Sound familiar? Don Barbieri’s father brokered the deal. Ron the Cop is correct, Spokane is run by a criminal syndicate the restricts it’s ability to develop as it should.
lewis8457 on June 22 at 8:55 a.m.
gslbball1…if people from this community are on the jury they will take him out and find a tall tree and a strong rope.
Yes i know cops get off, I was here for the Jay Olsen circus. but i will tell you this , this community is upset big time and if he walks you and he can bet people will take this into their own hands.
When we know it is them or us? there are a hell of lot more of us then them.
That is what the city should be thinking of , how much can a community take before the lid flies off the boiling pot, and then heaven forbid what happens next?
But we all know no one in our city or police leadership care they are so used to getting away with it they cant even imagine they might have to pay the piper.
We need to be able to respect our police and know they are there for our safety and if they aren’t we need to get rid of them. call in the national guard let them police and disband the guild and the evil they stand for.
lewis8457 on June 23 at 8:19 a.m.
I see a lot of homes for sale in Spokane are these people up grading or getting the hell out?
eagleproducer on June 24 at 9:54 a.m.
Lewis, more than likely defaulting on mortgages and moving into rentals.