WSU president scolds students

Pullman Washington State University President V. Lane Rawlins has scolded students for harassing Cougars basketball players accused of making insensitive gestures toward an Asian student.

In an open letter published Tuesday in the Daily Evergreen student newspaper, Rawlins said the players, whose names were not released, are entitled to due process.

Rawlins was out of town Feb. 23 when an estimated 100 students marched to his French Administration Building office to demand expulsion of the students who allegedly directed racial taunts at an employee in the university’s Multicultural Center.

The employee said the players were among a group of students who would regularly pass by her window and make animal noises and gestures. One pulled back the corners of his eyes to make “slant eyes,” she said.

Pullman police investigated the employee’s complaints, but did not pursue criminal charges. The matter was referred to the school’s student conduct board.

Fliers circulated on campus showed photographs of the freshmen players, who are white, accusing them of being racists. The players also were taunted by sign-waving students at the Arizona-WSU basketball game Thursday.

Man may face death for killing man, toddler

Yakima A man could face the death penalty if convicted in the execution-style shooting of a 3-year-old girl and her parents following what police said was a gangland marijuana ripoff.

Jose Luis “Junior” Sanchez, 23, was arraigned Monday in Yakima County Superior Court on two counts each of aggravated first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder and one count each of first-degree robbery, burglary and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty for the killing of Ricardo “Ricky” Causor, 21, and his 3-year-old daughter Mya and the wounding of his partner and the child’s mother, who shielded the couple’s 2-year-old daughter with her body during the shootings Feb. 20.

Sanchez remained in jail with bail set at $5 million.

County approves raises for elected officials

Spokane County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved raises for the county’s other elected officials without comment or discussion.

The raises were recommended by the Spokane County Citizens’ Commission on Salaries, a 10-member panel composed of some members appointed by county commissioners and some randomly selected from the county’s voter registration rolls.

The assessor, auditor, clerk and treasurer will make $77,000 a year, up from $70,000.

Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker’s pay will be raised from $105,972 annually to $115,000. And Spokane County Sheriff Mark Sterk’s annual salary of $105,000 will be a $13,000 increase over the sheriff’s previous salary.

The same salary commission that recommends pay for most elected officials gets to set the county commissioners’ salary. Commissioners will get a $7,000 raise to $82,000 a year. All raises took effect immediately.

Two arrested in raid on north Spokane home

Spokane County sheriff’s investigators seized stolen property and arrested two people during a Tuesday morning raid in north Spokane.

The Sheriff’s Special Weapons and Tactics team entered a home at 2115 W. Mallon Ave. about 7 a.m., sheriff’s spokesman Dave Reagan said in a press release.

The SWAT team was used because investigators believed that firearms stolen in recent burglaries might have been in the home, Reagan said.

Police did not find the weapons, but did find jewelry, checks and credit cards belonging to several people, including at least one recent burglary victim.

Five children, ages 2 to 13, were in the home when the raid occurred. Their grandmother, who lives in the home, was allowed to leave with the kids.

Two people were arrested.

Joseph G. Piapot, 25, was booked into the Spokane County Jail on a warrant charging him with escape.

Jody M. Piapot, 28, was booked on a count of first-degree possession of stolen property.

Officers said she was wearing stolen jewelry.