Council to discuss police ombudsman
Almost 16 months after former Mayor Dennis Hession announced his support for police oversight, the Spokane City Council has scheduled a hearing to consider the creation of a police ombudsman’s office.
Testimony will be taken on the matter at the council’s meeting on Sept. 22.
The push for independent oversight of police followed several high-profile incidents, including the death of Otto Zehm, a developmentally disabled janitor who was beaten and bound by police at a convenience store in March 2006.
Cusick man killed in rollover crash
A Cusick, Wash., man died late Sunday when his truck rolled off the road and into a tree north of Spokane.
Douglas E. Dilley, 41, was northbound around 11 p.m. on Le Clerc Road about halfway between Cusick and Metaline Falls when his 1973 Chevy pickup drifted off the left shoulder and he overcorrected to the right, Washington State Patrol troopers said. Troopers believe alcohol was involved, communications officer Frank Sweet said. Dilley was not wearing a seat belt.
Dilley’s 16-year-old son, Martin D. Dilley, was a passenger during the crash but escaped without serious injury. He was transported to Newport Community Hospital and released.
Lawrence, Kan.
Woman guilty in hit-run deaths
A Chewelah, Wash., woman was found guilty Tuesday in the hit-and-run deaths of two highway workers south of Lawrence.
The Lawrence Journal-World reported on its Web site that Ramona Morgan, 49, was convicted of two counts of reckless second-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery in the Sept. 11, 2007, accident in a work zone on U.S. 59 near Pleasant Grove.
Kansas Department of Transportation worker Tyrone Korte, 39, and contractor’s employee Rolland Griffith, 24, were killed. A third worker was injured.
Prosecutors said Morgan ignored warnings to stop and twice drove her pickup truck through the blocked-off construction area, hitting Korte and Griffith on her second pass through the area. A police chase eventually ended in neighboring Osage County.
Morgan was convicted in April in Osage County of a felony charge of trying to flee from police, and several misdemeanor traffic violations.
Morgan, who will be sentenced in November, faces nine to 41 years in prison on each of the murder counts.
Vancouver, Wash.
Ex-officer settles discrimination suit
Lawyers for a former Vancouver, Wash., police officer say he has reached a $1.65 million settlement with the city in a federal discrimination case.
In 2006, Navin Sharma was fired after being accused of making errors in his DUI arrest reports.
A news release from Sharma lawyers Scott Blankenship and Greg Ferguson said the settlement was reached in a mandatory mediation session. They say they had gathered evidence to chronicle a pattern of harassment, including “racially explicit telephone messages and profane images.”
Vancouver City Manager Pat McDonnell said the city settled to avoid further litigation costs and more disruption to the police department.
The city will amend Sharma’s personnel file to reflect he retired in good standing.
In 2000 Sharma filed his first federal lawsuit, saying he was targeted after he testified against two sergeants in an internal-affairs investigation. That case ended with a $287,000 settlement.