No charges against Seattle officer who shot woodcarver

[Tripper11]

Source: Seattle Times

King County prosecutors have decided not to file criminal charges against Seattle police Officer Ian Birk in the fatal shooting of woodcarver John T. Williams, sources familiar with the decision say.

The Prosecutor's Office is expected to announce the decision in a news conference on Wednesday, the sources say.

Shortly after, Seattle Police Chief John Diaz is expected to disclose at a news conference that the department's Firearms Review Board has reached a final decision that the Aug. 30 shooting was not justified, say sources briefed on the finding.

The board's conclusion, reached in private deliberations a few days ago, allows the Police Department to begin internal proceedings that could lead to Birk's firing or other discipline, the sources said. In October, the board reached a preliminary decision that the shooting was unjustified, sources said then.



Read more: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014235279_policeshooting16m.html

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This will not go over well with the family and community. With the spate of SPD officers involved in various forms of violence against citizens, I fear this could get real ugly, real fast.

[notesdev]

1. There is NO WAY this can be allowed to stand

That was an execution in broad daylight!

[Major Hogwash]

2. Unbelievable. Shooting him for not stopping is not illegal!?!

This is a violation of his federal civil rights to have the freedom to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
If the state doesn't charge that officer, then the federal government should!!

[rsmith6621]

3. As Long As Obama Lets....

...Bush...Cheney and Rumsfeld get away with an ILLEGAL WAR that killed 4000+ US Soldiers then what more can we expect from the law....I guess the SPD wants to look forward and not backwards as well.

[Tempest]

6. Such ignorance and misplaced blame

The problems of Seattle police and their brutality pre-dates Obama by years.

There was a federal civil lawsuit filed against SPD in 2005.

[snooper2]

9. If you can inject Bush into that Bieber thread I'll give you a dollar

:rofl:

[hugo_from_TN]

13. Thanks for bringing Obama into the discussion.

It's really helpful to spam all discussions with inane comparisons.

[rhett o rick]

15. I disagree. The failure to prosecute war criminals signals the end to justice in this country. nm

[Unca Jim]

4. Wow.

Why do you need to shoot a drunk guy standing there carrying a knife four times?

[siligut]

5. Way too quick to use a gun

Shot a non-threatening, inebriated guy 4 times? This officer has anger issues. This is a disgrace.

[demigoddess]

7. this is terrible.

Now i will never feel safe around any policeman. Even if I never carry a knife or a gun. Seattle police have been know to hit and kick someone handcuffed and on the ground, handcuffed and totally innocent of any crime. The good police officers, if there are any, should demand something be done.

[ManiacJoe]

8. The lack of charges should not surprise anyone.

WA state law sets very high bar for filing charges against cops who use force against armed people.

If Birk gets to keep his job is a different conversation.

[Krakowiak]

10. Seattle Police can now literally get away with murder

If a drunk, semi deaf woodcarver in a torpid state is a threat... ANYONE is.. and it's open season now.

Also.. if the former is such a threat.. what does that make a man with a gun and a badge who initiates a confrontation and then fires on a man with his back turned in less than 4 seconds without ever identifying himself as a police officer?

This is insanity - I am in Seattle right now, and every day there seems to be a new story about yet another incident of police brutality. If this particular case wasn't enough for ANY criminal charges, NO case will ever be, and the floodgates for a new level of violence from the blue shirts has just been rubber stamped.

Sickening.. I am seething with anger right now.

[Tripper11]

11. Watching the SPD Press Conference

They are still doing their internal review, but they are saying Birk did a lot of things wrong.
Diaz said he hopes to have a conclusion by mid-March.
One reporter asked Diaz if Birk would be fired.
Diaz would not answer the question.
Listening to the SPD news conference, it really feels like Birk will be losing his job. That's my gut.

www.king5.com if you want to watch.

[Missy Vixen]

12. It's not enough that he loses his job

He shot John T. Williams in broad daylight for carrying a knife that is legal to carry in the city of Seattle. Williams was inebriated at the time, deaf in one ear, had his back turned to Birk, and four seconds elapsed from the time Birk shouted at him until Birk pumped four shots into him.

This was murder. It is criminal. The fact that Satterberg's office refuses to charge Birk should trigger another investigation, and Satterberg should lose his job as well.

The Department of Justice has started its investigation of SPD. I can only hope that they are a little less biased than the King County Prosecutor's office.

-MV
edited to correct spelling

[Tripper11]

25. I was only infomring what I was hearing from the news conference

But I agree, Birk should go to trial and let a jury decide.

[rhett o rick]

14. It's been officially announced today.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4735656

[rhett o rick]

16. Prosecutors won't charge Seattle officer in woodcarver shooting

Source: king5.com

"SEATTLE – King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg announced he will not file a criminal charge against Seattle police officer Ian Birk in the fatal Aug. 30 of woodcarver John T. Williams who was carrying a knife."

Read more: http://www.king5.com/news/local/Seattle-officer-wont-be-charged-in-woodcarver-shooting-116324949.html

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Why would we think otherwise? IMO another police officer gets away with murder.

[Sonoman]

17. That's a tough one. I always carry a knife...

but not in my hand in in plain view of a cop.

I wonder why the guy chose not to comply.

Sonoman

[Krakowiak]

18. are you a homeless woodcarver? (nt)

[Sonoman]

20. I think it was the .18 BAC that did it.

The guy had to be seriously impaired.

When lives are in the balance, someone is going to win and someone is going to lose. And it happens really quickly.

I'm with the cop on this one. I imagine one could make a pretty safe bet that the guy was a Frequent Flier.

Sonoman

[rhett o rick]

21. I find your lack of empathy curious. The poor man wasnt given a chance to comply. The officer ran

up to him and shoot him multiple times within seconds. There was no danger. The officer didnt even take time to asses the danger. He cold bloodily murdered the man and will walk. The officer should be charged with murder.

Your comments about the man being a "frequent flier" is disgusting. No reason to murder him in cold blood.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

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[Missy Vixen]

28. So, it's now a death penalty offense to carry a 3" knife on the streets of Seattle?

>When lives are in the balance, someone is going to win and someone is going to lose. And it happens really quickly.<

What "lives were in the balance" that afternoon? It certainly wasn't Ian Birk's. He was more than 20 feet away from John Williams, and Williams had his back turned towards him. He was not poised for attack. He most likely didn't even realize the cop was shouting at him.

>I'm with the cop on this one. I imagine one could make a pretty safe bet that the guy was a Frequent Flier.<

Do you have any idea of the facts of this case? Williams threatened nobody. He was well-known for whittling on the sidewalk in Seattle. He was a wood carver by trade.

Williams had four seconds from the time the cop shouted at him before the cop shot him. In the middle of the sidewalk, at 4:00 in the afternoon. Williams was also deaf in one ear.

Of course, being "seriously impaired" would also be a great reason to get one's gun, wouldn't it?

[ManiacJoe]

19. Mostly due to a lack of time.

IIRC, the victim was drunk, partially deaf, and wearing ear buds. The cop gave him about 4 seconds.

[rhett o rick]

22. I think it was even less than 4 seconds. nm

[Krakowiak]

29. and he never identified himself as a cop.. but hey.. nothing to see here (nt)

[Xenotime]

26. I thought Wash was too progressive to have Capital Punishment

[hollowdweller]

27. Cops can do anything they want anymore

Really the US is getting more like some other countries in the way the police act.
They almost never face serious consequences if they do wrong (sort of like the military) and a lot of them are really corrupt and don't follow the law. I think it's way worse now than in the 60's and 70's. Probably at least part of it is how we have ramped up the glorification of the warrior since the 2 wars that's bleeding into the police force and then secondarily the low pay of public servants compared to back then.

[rhett o rick]

30. More and more people are being shot by police officers for failure to comply.

If you fail to comply with an officer, they apparently are allowed to kill you.

[ManiacJoe]

31. If you are holding a weapon, any way.

[Missy Vixen]

32. Or a wallet, in New York City.

Amadou Diallo found that one out the hard way, and I apologize if I misspelled his name.

I am hoping against hope that we may see justice via the Department of Justice investigation.