Revised Nicks statement drops chief’s opinion

The sworn and signed declaration of Assistant Chief Jim Nicks that details his concerns about the police confrontation with Otto Zehm has been revised to leave out a detail about Spokane police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick.

The original Nicks statement ends with this:

“I have not reached this assessment lightly and in fact have peer reviewed my analysis, assessment and conclusions with Chief Anne Kirkpatrick.  She concurs with the assessment that unnecessary and unreasonable force was deployed by the responding officer against Mr. Zehm.”

The revised affidavit is one sentence shorter:  

“I have not reached this assessment lightly and in fact have peer reviewed my analysis, assessment and conclusions with Chief Anne Kirkpatrick.”

 Kirkpatrick declined to be interviewed about the change. City spokeswoman Marlene Feist released the following statement:

“Assistant Chief Nicks did share his analysis with Chief Kirkpatrick but Chief Kirkpatrick is not an expert in this case and she will not weigh in on Assistant Chief Nicks’ conclusions.  She will wait to hear all facts in a court of law.”

Jonathan Brunt