Weighing in
A weekly look at reader comments and reactions to the news
This week’s column examines reaction to the city of Spokane’s assertion that Otto Zehm, the mentally ill janitor who died following a 2006 confrontation with police after being wrongly accused of robbery, was responsible for his own death. The following are among the comments posted at www.spokesman.com, where you’ll also find the story, copies of legal filings and other reaction to this and other news.
George Sands: It saddens me to think our City acts in this manner on our behalf. A good lesson in life is, when you make a mistake, fess up. Fix it. and then move on. OUR City decides to dig their heels in and make motions like this to insult us.
Terry MR: Crazy – so can we get signs posted indicating that failure to drop a pop bottle when ordered is grounds to kill you on the spot? People should know if this is to be the official city policy.
93bird: Despicable. The city says “Otto Zehm knew or should have know that he was being detained by a peace officer and had the duty to refrain from using force to resist such detention.” However, after a struggle with a sheriff’s deputy 16 years ago, Zehm “was never charged, but was referred for mental health evaluation and treatment.” Either the cops who killed Zehm or the deputies who helped Zehm were wrong. My money’s on the jack-booted city police.
Carmelita3rd: We need more advocates for the mentally ill. We have patients with machetes out there hacking away at innocent people. Too many are left to their own devices, released from mental hospitals with a pat on the back and a there ya go buddy, holding a pamphlet of how to medicate yourself and an appointment roster, they are set upon society all alone and expected to become a productive member of the common community.
Ed F: The system is totally in favor of the system! It is the victims fault, not ours. That smacks of BS.
PlanB: It’s deplorable that the people we hire and vote for to provide services for this city would come out with a statement like this. The city council, city attorney, mayor and police officers should all be publicly condemning what happened to Otto rather than cover their own rear ends. And they even manage to blame Otto for his own death. Absolutely sickening.
Gregor_Samsa: So is the City going to countersue Zehm’s mother? What absolute coldblooded reptiles. Mayor Verner deserves a single term and no more for her consistent sycophancy with the police dept.