Cowles Company announces settlement of defamation lawsuit filed by Jeff Thurman

Wed., April 29, 2026

SPOKANE — (April 28, 2026) — Cowles Company today announced that it has reached an amicable and confidential resolution with former Sgt. Jeff Thurman of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, in a defamation lawsuit he filed in June 2021.

Mr. Thurman won a $19.48 million verdict against the former Spokane County Sheriff, Ozzie Knezovich, in December 2022 for false statements made by the Sheriff regarding then Sgt. Thurman. Sheriff Knezovich made those statements at a press conference he called to announce Sgt. Thurman’s termination. The jury found that the Sheriff’s statements about Mr Thurman were false, that Mr. Thurman had been discriminated against, and that he was wrongfully terminated.

After the Sheriff’s statements were published, Mr. Thurman also sued Cowles Company for defamation based on the manner in which The Spokesman-Review reported the Sheriff’s statements. Cowles and Mr. Thurman have now confidentially resolved that lawsuit.

In his 18 years with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department, Jeff Thurman was recognized multiple times for exemplary service to the Spokane Community, and given the Sheriff’s Highest Honors. He and his K-9 partner Laslo captured more than 480 suspects during their 4-year partnership.

“Detective Thurman and that particular K-9 were one of the most productive and dynamic teams that the sheriff’s office has ever had,” Knezovich was quoted as saying in 2018, the year Laslo passed away. “They did a lot of great work for the citizens of the county.” Thurman adopted Laslo as a pet when the dog retired from the force in 2017.

Thurman was represented by Mary Schultz of Mary Schultz Law, P.S. Cowles Company was represented by Sawyer Margett and Mike Love of the Riverside NW Law Group, PLLC.

Media contact: William “Stacey” Cowles, stacyc@cowlescompany.com, (509) 459-5217

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Cowles Company announces settlement of defamation lawsuit filed by Jeff Thurman

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

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