March 18, 2010 in City

Four years later, let’s not forget Otto Zehm

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Today is the fourth anniversary of that sad and violent encounter between Otto Zehm and the Spokane cops.

Hard to believe, huh?

Another year passes and this disgrace still hangs over Spokane like rot from a rendering plant.

The unarmed and innocent mentally ill janitor paid the ultimate price after being wrongly identified as a crazed thief. And we should never forget what took place inside the Zip Trip at Division and Augusta on March 18, 2006.

Otto was clubbed, shocked and trussed up like an animal.

A plastic oxygen mask was placed over his face to keep Otto from spitting.

Unfortunately no one had the good sense or humanity to hook that mask to a supply of oxygen.

So this hogtied, confused and bludgeoned 36-year-old man was forced to lie on his stomach and suck what air he could through a dime-size hole in the plastic.

Any wonder why Otto lost consciousness and died later at local hospital?

I didn’t think so.

A noon vigil in remembrance of Otto has been planned today near the Zip Trip.

At 11 a.m., however, I’ll be at Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main St. I’ll give away black-and-white Otto buttons while they last.

Plus Joe Brasch, my buddy and guitar-slinging bandmate, will join me. We’ll play “The Ballad of Otto Zehm,” the song I wrote to keep Otto’s memory alive.

“You can’t stop a cop with a bottle of pop.

“You can’t outrun a badge and a gun.

“When the law’s on your side, you can do homicide.

“And not worry, cuz nothin’ gets done.”

Remember that bottle of pop?

According to some of Spokane’s “not-so” Finest, the 2-liter bottle of Diet Pepsi Otto was carrying on that fateful day was a potential weapon.

Jim Nicks was the acting police chief back then – with emphasis on the word “acting.” After the death he claimed Otto “lunged” at Officer Karl Thompson, the first officer on the scene.

It was either fantasy or outright fabrication.

The store videotape shows that Otto was on his heels when the beat down began.

I don’t know how anyone pegs a plastic Diet Pepsi bottle as a weapon. You could shake it up and spray soda in your victim’s face, I suppose. But I think the only thing Otto was going to use that pop for was to wash down the Snickers bar he also wanted to buy.

I don’t think Otto lunged at anyone. I think he was confused and scared spitless and just wanted to get away.

Last fall my suspicions about Nicks were confirmed when he couldn’t recall where he got his information about that so-called lunge.

How has that guy kept his job?

Maybe the truth will come out in May. That’s when Thompson is scheduled to be tried in a federal court for allegedly violating Otto’s civil rights and lying to officials who were investigating what happened.

Will justice finally arrive to blow away some of that stench?

I’m hoping for the best.

In the meantime, come down to Auntie’s and get a free button. Then wear it proudly and remember Otto.

Doug Clark is a columnist for The Spokesman-Review. He can be reached at (509) 459-5432 or by e-mail at dougc@spokesman.com.

Nine comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  CharlesBillford on March 18 at 12:33 a.m.

  Doug does good.

• 

  CharlesBillford on March 18 at 12:49 a.m.

  A good reference by Bill Morlin.

  http://www.spokesmanreview.com/sections/zehm/?ID=236953

• 

  ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 18 at 5:08 a.m.

  Doug does good…. yes…. yes..

• 

  Scoutster on March 18 at 7:07 a.m.

  We are grown ups. We can accept our police department and emergency services operate at something less than the impossible standard of perfection. Same as the rest of us.

  We should apologize to the family—sincerely and with humility—and honor Otto’s memory by acknowledging what everyone already understands: Otto was an unintentional victim. We should pay whatever monetary compensation the civil process deems reasonable and move on with improved training and procedures.

  What is the better alternative?

• 

  liarsinnews on March 18 at 7:31 a.m.

  I`ve been wearing my OTTO pin for quite sometime in hopes justice will be served. Both Mayor Verner and Police Chief Kirkpatrick should be ashamed of themselves. Both need to be replaced. SAD.

• 

  ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 18 at 8:14 a.m.

  Scoutster… your ideas are all that are needed… the important piece here is the “Apology” and admission of an error that resulted in a death. If the city and the police force had merely said that at the outset, we would not have suffered the indignity of people in a position of authority breaching their fiduciary responsibility toward us.

  The video of the event does make one wonder if excessive force was used.. and the mistake of not hooking up the breathing mask to an oxygen supply is “malpractice”. Otto should not have died, let alone be attacked. Can’t change it, but move forward with increased sensitivities to our mentally disabled and mentally ill that are on the streets. This could have been any one of the 250 men and women that use our support programs at House of Charity and Shalom. Any given day… any one of them could be in that same spot. Dr John

• 

  lewis8457 on March 18 at 8:39 a.m.

  Otto will never be forgotten but it is time to lay him to rest. His death has shown me that we have no say in the goings on of our city or police force.

  Just look at the Pete Shonto’s case that poor guy can not even get a fair shake in court. And I do not believe Otto will get a fair shake in the upcoming trial of Officer Thompson. In fact I am positive they keep postponing it waiting for Otto’s mom to pass.

  We can demonstrate and wear our buttons but it doesn’t mean anything to anyone but the wearer. Our own Mayor said his death was justified, meaning don’t bother us we don’t care.

  And so it continues unchecked.

  Who will be the next victim of our murderous cops, it could be you or me, and sadly no one with authority will care.

• 

  ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 18 at 6:32 p.m.

  Lewis… sad to say it could be any one of us at any time… there are 250-300 on the streets every day that are LESS functional than Mr Zehm… he had a job.. and was minding his own business.. there are many every day that wander about hearing voices and doing drugs to tamp it down…. Money for new Jails is not the answer.. adequate and effective mental health treatment and job training/recovery is much much less expensive.. and the poor state of our local schools argues for exponentially increased numbers of non functional folks over time….. it just keeps getting worse… watch your back.. john

• 

  ChefGus/ John Olsen on March 20 at 8:13 a.m.

  Doug… i can hardly wait for your “Excited Deliriium” comments likelyi to appear soon at a Newspaper Near You….

  My considered view over these many months is that simply a number of our “older/elderly” police officers are drug abusers.. likely prescription drugs ( we already know about their alcohol abuse)… and it would seem a good policy to screen after any big event the officers that seem out of line for Steroids/ Anabolic body builders tools…. and for Excess Testosterone likely given as injections….. EstraTest a female hormonal treatment was taken off the market because of the untoward reactions of women taking it involving the increased rage and agressive behaviours….. the Test part of Estra (estrogen) Testosteron being the Test part… j