Inquest Jury: Seattle Police Acted Within Law in Shooting - U.S. News & World Report
SEATTLE (AP) — A coroner’s inquest jury unanimously ruled Monday that the four Seattle police officers who shot and killed 19-year-old Damarius Butts in 2017 complied with the law and department policy.
The jury was unable to say, however, whether Butts or police officers fired first, The Seattle Times reported. The ruling follows two weeks of testimony during the first inquest under King County’s revamped process to examine deaths caused by law enforcement officers.
The eight-member jury deliberated for about three hours Friday and resumed deliberations at 9 a.m. Monday before reaching the verdict. The jury found the officers were justified, acted in good faith and showed no malice when they fired their weapons.
The inquest was the first held in King County in five years and marks the resumption of a process intended to provide answers to the public and to families of people who die at the hands of law enforcement. The process was revised to address criticism that it favored law enforcement.
Butts was suspected of stealing beer and snacks from a 7-Eleven store in downtown Seattle on April 20, 2017. Officers chased Butts and he was fatally shot by police. One officer was hit in her protective vest and another officer was shot in the face and has since fully recovered.
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source: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2022-03-28/inquest-jury-seattle-police-acted-within-law-in-shooting
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