Jury Rejects Federal Suit Over Arrest Woman Claims Sheriff’s Deputies Illegally Broke Into Her House

A federal jury Thursday unanimously rejected a Suncrest woman’s claim that Stevens County sheriff’s officers illegally broke into her house in November 1993 to arrest her without a warrant.

Glenda Brownell sought up to $1 million in damages in the weeklong trial in U.S. District Court in Spokane.

She accused Sgt. Ed Burns and Deputy Tim Greenfield of violating her rights by remaining on her property without a warrant after she asked them to leave and warned them she had a gun.

The officers were investigating Brownell’s acknowledged threat against Deputy Prosecutor Dave Soukoup, made in a telephone conversation.

Brownell said she was angry because she felt the prosecutor’s office reneged on an oral promise and argued for a tough sentence for her son, Jeff Jr., in a burglary plea bargain.

Burns, Greenfield and Brownell agreed in trial testimony that there were four confrontations at the woman’s front door, which she kept opening and closing. On the fourth occasion, she displayed a pistol.

Brownell testified she held the gun at her side, in a holster, and did not point it at the officers. But Greenfield said she pointed it at him before slamming the door shut and locking it.

The officers said they had no cover for a safe retreat, so they quickly forced their way through the door. They said they thought that was the best way to protect themselves as well as Brownell, who they felt was acting irrationally.

Inside, after discovering that Brownell had tossed the gun away, the officers ordered her to lie on the floor. She was handcuffed, arrested and taken to the county jail in Colville, where mental health officials found no need for a more thorough mental examination.

She was booked on two felony counts related to the threat against Soukoup, but was released when the prosecutor’s office failed to file formal charges within 72 hours. Misdemeanor harassment charges were filed in February 1994 and dismissed seven months later.

In the lawsuit, Brownell’s husband, Jeff, wanted $2,800 in additional damages to cover bail costs and repair the front door.

They named nine county officials as defendants. Complaints against all except Burns and Greenfield were dismissed before and during the trial.

However, defense attorney Mike McMahon said all of the defendants are pressing counterclaims against Brownell - mostly for attorney fees.

McMahon said Burns, a 1994 candidate for Stevens County sheriff, thinks a report of the lawsuit shortly before the election caused his defeat in the three-way race.

Burns later moved to the Seattle area. Greenfield joined the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department.

, DataTimes