Click on other video programs and then on “2010 Primary County Election Forum.” This is the forum where incumbent Steve Tucker claimed the support of AG Rob McKenna and Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich. See my previous post.
Steve Tucker so far has responded to invites of Mike Fitzsimmons to come on his show:
Steve Tucker appeared on the Fitzsimmons Radio Show this afternoon. Tucker is still claiming the support of AG Rob McKenna and Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich. Listen to the audio and you decide what the truth is:
Contact: Ron Wright 951-233-0710 – email nar9350 [at] gmail [dot] com
Steve Tucker is the incumbent Spokane County Prosecutor and is running for reelection. At a recent televised candidate’s forum held by the League of Women Voters, Tucker claimed the support of Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich. Sheriff Knezovich replied to an email saying has not endorsed anyone for any office. I’m alleging that Steve Tucker was directly and knowingly involved in the cover up of the homicide of Jo Ellen Savage in the RPS Parking Garage in April of 2006. Therefore he is not qualified to serve as County Prosecutor.
Please see the attached letter re your statement during your concluding remarks at the recent League of Women Voter’s candidate forum. You claimed the support of Sheriff Knezovich. I emailed Sheriff Knezovich and he emphatically denied endorsing anyone. Please explain.
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
Sent via email
July 20, 2010
Steve Tucker
Office of County Prosecutor
1100 West Mallon
Spokane, WA 99260
Re: League of Women Voters candidate forum for Spokane County Prosecutor
Dear Mr. Tucker:
I watched with interest the League’s candidates’ forum. In your closing statement you claimed the support of WA AG Rob McKenna and Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich. While the support of AG McKenna could be true, the support of Sheriff Knezovich was a surprise to me. I emailed Sheriff Knezovich and asked him if he had endorsed your candidacy. Sheriff Knezovich empathically replied, “I have not endorsed anyone for any office” [Emphasis added]. Other sources directed me to the WA Secretary of State’s online voter guide as a similar statement from you:
Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna support Steve.
I’m also told this statement is contained in your printed campaign material. I realize that there is a subtle distinction between support and endorse however in the minds of the voters these terms are synonymous. With the emphatic statement of Sheriff Knezovich denying any endorsement of your campaign, Mr. Tucker you are misleading the public.You are not telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. As a prosecutor you should know this is paramount of law enforcement professionals in our system of justice.
Mr. Tucker this should come of no surprise that I am actively campaigning against your reelection for your nonfeasance and malfeasance in office. Specifically you aided and abetted in the cover up of the death of Jo Ellen Savage in the RPS Parking Garage. Simply put this was a homicide – a First-Degree Manslaughter under WA State Law. This wasn’t a case of prosecutorial discretion. This was a deliberate cover up by your knowing inaction. I haven’t decided yet which of your opponents for the top law enforcement position in Spokane I will endorse and support.
Mr. Tucker you can’t claim ignorance and or incompetence in your decision not to file criminal charges in the homicide of Savage.Both former Sheriff Tony Bamonte and I have an extensive paper trail documenting multiple letters and emails to your office. We gave you constructive notice that any filing decision without having a complete and thorough criminal investigation to review would be flawed and disingenuous at best. David Savage (former husband of Jo Ellen Savage) also was willing to provide your office with the product of their civil case involving the death of his former wife, which you apparently refused.
Mr. Tucker your review of the facts and circumstances surrounding Jo Savage’s death and conclusion that there wasinsufficient evidence to warrant a criminal complaint was fallacious. You set this case up for failure from the very beginning. This was self-fulfilling chain of events you set in motion. Once the US Attorney’s Office turned over its evidence in the Savage case to your office for review and investigation under existing state law involving negligent homicide, you DID NOTHING. Your inaction by not compelling a complete and thorough criminal investigation that would have followed the evidence wherever it would lead to its logical conclusion and subsequent decision not to file a criminal complaint, concealed this very damning evidence of this homicide from the public review and scrutiny. No impartial jury would ever see and or hear the very damning evidence and testimony to decide the guilt or innocence of the owners of the parking garage. For more specifics see my criminal complaint against you, I filed with Gov. Gregoire that so far she has ignored [See RICO RPS Table of Evidence – RW22].
It is true there was insufficient evidence to file a criminal complaint. What was lacking was probative questioning of witnesses and those individuals with culpable knowledge of the inaction of the owners of the RPS Parking Garage that was the direct cause of the death of Savage. The owners of the garage knew full well that these parking barriers were failing on average of one to three per year for fifteen years preceding the tragic death of Savage. See former RPS garage manager Rex Franklin’s damning civil deposition in which he revealed that two other cars struck barriers, which failed in a similar manner. These cars hung precariously on their undercarriages on the edge of the parking deck. The forensic evidence reveals that Ms. Savage did not inadvertently hit the gas pedal as Stacey Cowles would imply:
. . . nothing in the history of the garage would indicate that its ownership had a reckless or any other kind of disregard for human safety… We did not advise the driver to test our barriers…
Ms. Savage’s car made contact with this barrier at less than 5 mph (Savage civil case material). The barrier failed in the same manner as the others have over last fifteen years. This barrier failed and rolled forward trapping the front wheels of Savage’s car and catapulted Savage to her death. This was a likely foreseeable event that the owners failed to mitigate.They chose to ignore this imminent public hazard for economic reasons that are enmeshed and related to the RPS Bond Frauds perpetrated by the owners of the RPS Parking Garage. The Spokane taxpayers were defrauded of $87.5 MILLION dollars in these bond frauds [See RICO RPS Table of Evidence – RW30].
Mr. Tucker you gave the evidence you received from Asst. US Attorney Robert Westinghouse without any further investigative work to the WA AG’s Office to review. The manner in which you gave this material to the WA AG’s Office precluded it from doing it’s own independent criminal investigation. Asst. WA AG Scott Marlow who reviewed this material said so in his advisory letter to you [See RICO RPS Table of Evidence – RW17]. You cherry picked his concluding paragraph as justification for not filing a criminal complaint in your press release [See letter to County Board of Commissioners 06-14-10]. You failed to state in the press release or otherwise the extensive limitations and caveats with which Mr. Marlow prefaced his letter. As you know Mr. Marlow in a phone conversation told David Savage that he [Marlow] was disappointed in the position the AG’s Office had been placed in by your office, your case materials were not fully developed and there were many unanswered questions. Mr. Marlow told Mr. Savage that the WA AG’s Office was providing political cover to your office [See RICO RPS Table of Evidence – RW26 Addendum]
I’m aware that AG Rob McKenna attempted to discredit Mr. Savage’s report of this phone call on the Mike Fitzsimmons Radio Show on 03-10-10 [Audio file]. As we now know Mr. Marlow said the same thing to County Commissioner Bonnie Mager. See the attached memo that David Savage wrote to his file documenting this phone call. Mind you David Savage is no distraught former husband. Mr. Savage is a prominent personal injury attorney in his own right and a former president of the WA State Bar Association. Mr. Savage’s current wife, Sally, is a former senior asst. WA AG and is now the general counsel of WA State University. See their letters that they both wrote the WA AG’s Office and to you demanding an impartial criminal investigation be done.
Mr. Savage wrote [See RICO RPS Table of Evidence – RW26 Savage case file pages 5 – 6]:
. . . it is important, however, that all those responsible for this matter understand I firmly believe the information placed in Mr. Tucker’s hands, and now yours [WA AG Rob McKenna](which includes the fruits of my work, the work of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Washington, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a Grand Jury), clearly describes culpable criminal conduct [Emphasis added].The owners of the garage knew for years prior to Jo’s death of the very structural infirmity that resulted in it.Nevertheless, they chose not to correct the problem.
Please see my correspondence with the County Board of Commissioners re the County’s press release issued on your behalf [See letter of 06-14-10]. This press release implies that there was a federal grand jury review of the evidence and heard testimony of witnesses in the Savage Case. I believe this to be untrue and sought clarification from Asst. US Attorney Robert Westinghouse. Mr. Westinghouse refused to clarify his statement in his press release and press conference [See RICO RPS Table of Evidence – RW26 Savage case file pages 1 – 2]:
After the fact there was a great deal of debate over the assumptions made in the bond proposal.But after examining thousand of records from the civil case and using the tools available to the grand jury[Emphasis added] we determined there was no criminal case of wrongdoing, . . .
This phrase, tools available to the grand jury, is a term of the art which I interpret to mean the US Attorney’s Office used a grand jury to issue subpoenas to collect evidence but in no way suggests that a grand jury ever reviewed evidence and or heard testimony in the Savage case.I have personal knowledge that key witnesses in Sheriff Bamonte’s criminal complaint to Spokane Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick were never summoned to testify or were interviewed by any criminal investigators. I believe Mr. Westinghouse is inappropriately invoking a federal court rule [Rule 6(e)] regarding the disclosure of grand jury information in his refusal to issue a clarification on this point (See RICO RPS Table of Evidence – RW26 Savage case file pages 1 – 2).
I believe Mr. Westinghouse in general terms can confirm that a federal grand jury was empaneled, reviewed evidence and heard testimony. What Mr. Westinghouse is precluded from revealing is specific evidence and or testimony which is governed by Rule 6 (e). Unless of course the disclosure of the empanelment of a grand jury would pose a threat to national security e.g., compromising an ongoing international terror investigation with active agents within the US. The Savage case does not involve such matters of national security that would bar the general disclosure as I’ve outlined.
In a series of public document requests by Larry Shook and me, the County of Spokane has no public records to substantiate this statement that there was a – federal grand jury investigation of the Savage case. Your Chief Civil Deputy James Emacio inferred verbal statements supported this statement [See letter of 06-14-10]. Mr. Emacio said such statements are not disclosable under existing public records law. I disagree as this violates the very intent of the public records law. With what I know, I believe that Sheriff Knezovich and or you were the verbal source of this statement in question in this press release. So far the Board of Commissioners has failed to issue a retraction and or clarification of this original press release. I find this totally unethical and potentially illegal in view of public transparency and a subsequent civil RICO prosecution regarding government corruption by a criminal enterprise.
Mr. Tucker please answer these questions:
Was there ever a federal grand jury that reviewed of evidence and or heard testimony in the Savage case? If so please cite your source.
What is the meaning of your statement at the Leagues’ forum that Sheriff Knezovich supports you?
This is a matter of public trust and confidence in your ability to ensure equitable enforcement of the law in the County of Spokane. This goes to my original challenge regarding your stated support/endorsement by Sheriff Knezovich and your ability to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Mr. Tucker NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW. I will hold you accountable at the ballot box if no one else will. Rest assured I will ask these questions, the support/endorsement by Sheriff Knezovich and the federal grand jury issue, during a subsequent public appearance in your campaign for this office.
As I concluded in my RICO report:
In conclusion in my 35-year career as a criminal investigator, this is certainly one of the most blatantly criminal enterprises I have ever encountered. It’s hard to find words to adequately describe it.
The people have been repeatedly victimized by this criminal enterprise – this is organized crime. Organized crime cannot be appeased but must be destroyed because of its corrosive impact on government. The citizens of Spokane and the family of Jo Savage have a fundamental right to ensure that justice is served when their political/ governmental law enforcement bodies and decision makers because of their systemic co-option/ corruption can’t or won’t act to protect them from criminal victimization and from imminent public hazards.
In our legal system the law is of, for and by the People – NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
For more information on this story read my blog post. I asked Sheriff Knezovich in an email about Steve Tucker’s statement at the League’s forum. Sheriff Knezovich replied in an email, “I have not endorsed anyone for any office.” Further Tucker is claiming Knezovich’s support in his printed campaign material and in his statement on the Secretary of State’s online voter information.
UPDATE II:
I’ve been scrubbed again by the S-R. See this email I just sent to online editor Ryan Pitts:
Ryan – Doug Floyd or someone else cesnored my comment in the S-R Blog ‘A Matter of Opinion’ Tues’ open thread re Steve Tucker’s alleged support by Knezovich
Ryan,
Look my comment was newsworthy, timely and in fact I broke this story that Clouse later wrote about. It’s now gone. Since Doug Floyd started this thread and Gary Crooks is out of town I have every reason to believe it was Floyd scrubbed my comment. I’m calling foul.
I had the quote from Sheriff Knezovich that no one else had. He didn’t return calls from Clouse. My comment was very succinct for me. I linked to my post at my blog and to your article by Clouse as well. In the true sense of the the word this is not ‘censorship’ but as a representative of the free press it is quite hypocritical. Why?
You censored my comment. I broke this story and linked to my evidence. I also linked to your own story. Are you afraid of the truth? This was not spam.
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
I didn’t bother to keep a screen print of my post but it’s very similar to the one I posted in Meghan’s related blog post on other endorsements in the Co Prosecutor’s race:
I did post a longer piece in Clouse’s article thread. I’m copying it here to preserve it should it get scrubbed too.
Ron
UPDATE III:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Spokane, WA
July 23, 2010
In view of Spokane Co Prosecutor Steve Tucker’s clarification of his statement of support by AG Rob McKenna and Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich in his bid for reelection, I thought it important to seek clarification of AG McKenna as well. Please see the attached email I just sent to the AG’ Office.
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
Sent via email
July 23, 2010
Rob McKenna, Attorney General
1125 Washington Street SE
PO Box 40100
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
Re:Steve Tucker Spokane Co Prosecutor claim of support by AG Rob McKenna
Dear Mr. McKenna:
At a recent League of Voters’ candidate forum, Mr. Tucker claimed the support of Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich and you in his campaign for reelection.I was surprised re the support of Sheriff Knezovich and asked him by email if this was true.Sheriff Knezovich replied emphatically, “I have not endorsed anyone for any office.”
The Spokesman-Review reporter Tom Clouse has since written an article on this issue where Mr. Tucker clarified his support statement.Please see the article and my email to Mr. Tucker that is posted on my website:
Mr. McKenna could you also clarify your position of support of Mr. Tucker?
Also please read my letter to Mr. Tucker regarding your comment in response to my question on the Mike Fitzsimmons Radio Show.I asked you to explain Asst. AG Scott Marlow’s statement to David Savage that the AG’s Office provided political cover to Mr. Tucker in his decision not to file any criminal charges in the Savage manslaughter case.You were dismissive of Mr. Savage’s interpretation of this phone call statement and is of concern to me.I don’t know if you have discussed this with Mr. Marlow. Since then Spokane Co. Commissioner has said the Mr. Marlow in as much said the same to her as he [Marlow] said to Tucker.Could you please clarify your comment on the Fitzsimmons’ Show in light of this new information.
Sincerely,
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
8921 N. Indian Trail Rd., PMB 210
Spokane, WA 99208
Cc: Scott Marlow, Steve Tucker, Kurt Fackler, David Savage, local officials, S-R Reporter Clouse and local media
UPDATE IV:
I also emailed Ms. Langlie the PIO for the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of WA again seeking clarification of Asst. US Attorney Robert Westinghouse’s comment in his press release re any federal grand jury involvement in the Savage manslaughter case:
07-23-10
Ms. Langlie,
Could you please pass this along to Mr. Westhinghouse. As before I think he’s invoking Rule 6e inappropriately in this instance. I believe he can in general terms disclose whether or not a grand jury was empaneled in the Savage manslaughter caset hat ever reviewed or heard testimony. This is the least he could do in view of what Mr. Tucker did to cover up this homicide that should have gone to trial if someone had done their homework.
If not could you please identify the federal court with docket/case number that issued these subpoenas used to get the Savage case materials so I can bring an action in that court per Rule 6e to disclose in general terms what the involvement of a grand jury in the Savage case was. As you can see from my email to Mr. Tucker that there a serious miscarriage of justice occurred in this case. Some law enforcement officials are purposefully misinterpreting what Mr. Westinghouse said to cover their malfeasance in office. I don’t think the federal court would much appreciate them hiding under its skirts.
Ron Wright
UPDATE V:
BREAKING – Steve Tucker’s at it again claiming support of Sheriff Knezovich on Tucker’s new website:
Steve Tucker just put up a reelection website. Under supporters he’s continuing to list the support of AG McKenna and Sheriff Knezovich. The manner in which this is laid out would support that McKenna/Knezovich is endorsing Tucker. As for McKenna I don’t know as he so far has not responded to my inquiry (See my email here). Some one from the press should follow up on my inquiry to McKenna. Of course you know what Sheriff Knezovich’s position is.
Either Tucker is being incompetent with his campaign or he’s again trying to mislead the voters. I think Tucker should be challenged on this and your readers again informed so they can make an informed choice in the primary election.
Former Sheriff Tony Bamonte, Larry Shook and I appeared on Andrea Shea King’s Radio Show. Andrea’s show is broadcast live on the Internet worldwide from Florida. Here’s Andrea’s blog post on this show.
The choice of Michael Ormsby by the Obama Administration as the chief law enforcement position of Eastern WA – US Attorney for the Eastern District of WA is simply beyond the pale. This has nothing to do with political ideology. Ormsby’s should have been indicted for his role in the $100 million dollar River Park Square bond fraud according to veteran award winning investigative journalist Tim Connor. Connor said of Ormsby’s nomination is , . . . like nominating Bernie Madoff to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. It makes no sense.”
Four prominent citizens wrote President Obama a year ago opposing Ormsby’s nomination when his name was first submitted by Sen. Patty Murray and yet President Obama has now formally submitted Ormsby’s name for Senate confirmation. A link to this letter can be found here:
Former Sheriff Tony Bamonte (Pend Oreille Co, WA) was interviewed by Mike Fagan & George McGrath on their Show – The RIGHT Spokane Perspective (KTW 630 AM Spokane, WA).
The Mike and George show is also live streamed at:
Click on the microphone in the center of the page. This interview will air in four segments starting today, Thurs, Fri, and Mon at 9 AM. Their program is no longer rebroadcast at 5 PM.
Sheriff Bamonte is discussing the evidence in the RPS Bond Frauds and the First-Degree Manslaughter death of Jo Ellen Savage in the RPS Parking Garage.
One clarification from today’s show – there is direct evidence that these parking barriers were failing on average of one to three per year since 1991. Two cars previously bumped and broke through the barriers and dangled precariously over the edge in the 90’s. There was no real effort to affect any systematic repairs until the death of Jo Savage. There was some retrofitting/repairs done after Savage’s death. With the level of corruption in Spokane the question remains were these repairs sufficient to prevent similar tragic accidents? What about the structural integrity of the rest of the garage? The City of Spokane has so far refused to compel and immediate inspection of the RPS Parking Garage to ensure it is safe for continued public occupancy.
I hope my interview was eye opening on a story that has so far been off limits by the local media for a number of reasons. I would encourage all to read Larry Shook’s commentaries at his blog:
If you are not familiar with former Sheriff Tony Bamonte (Pend Oreille Co, WA) of Breaking Blue fame that I referred to on the show then you must read this review of the book by the same name.
UPDATE I [Edited]:
Here’s the interview audio files (MP3) from a site that doesn’t embed commercials:
UPDATE – Media Alert (Scroll for additional updates)
For some unknown reason the livestream instructions did not work as provided by the KTW. Another religious program was on the livestream of ACN network. The live broadcast on KTW 630AM aired just fine.
This first installment of Mr. Shook’s interview on Mike Fagan’s and George McGrath’s, “The RIGHT Spokane Perspective,” will be rebroadcast at 5PM tonight. The next three segments are scheduled to air next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 9AM and 5PM (May 28, June 1, 2 and 3).
I have most of the segment that aired and will try for the complete show at 5PM.
Here’s the audio I do have. Sorry because of the above I lost the first segment of the show. For now I have uploaded the audio below. I’ve left the show’s ad segments in to support Mike and George’s Spokane based local advertisers. There may be an embedded ad sorry but this is a free site.
*****
MEDIA ALERT – Award winning investigative reporter Larry Shook will appear in four installments on beginning this Friday on Mike Fagan’s and George McGrath’s radio program, “The Right PERSPECTIVE Spokane with Mike and George.”
Mr. Shook has told me this interview will be hard hitting than his previous appearance on the Mark Fuhrman Radio Show. You can listen to portions of Shook’s appearance as excepted on the the following week when US Attorney Jim McDevitt appeared and tried to rebut/refute what Shook had alleged: Fuhrman Show 08-06-07 [This should temporarily work. I will try to find a better host for my MP3 file]
Ron the Cop
*****
Hi Folks, KTW AM 630, American Christian Network
Look at the email subject line again. Remember the Mad Max movie “Thunder dome” starring Mel Gibson & Tina Turner?
Well, If you have ever had a suspicion as to who really runs Barter Town (Spokane) you don’t want to miss a series of interviews with Mr. Larry Shook of Camas Magazine. Larry is a 30 year veteran of investigative journalism, and together with the likes of former Sheriff Tony Baumonte and Ron the Cop, they have amassed alot of evidence implicating the Cowles family and some of our local electeds in such things as; Racketeering, 1st degree Manslaughter, securities fraud, and more.
Mary Verner, Mayor
City Council Members
City of Spokane
808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99201
Re: Councilperson Apples’ proposed ordinance to revise the SPD Police Ombudsman’s authority (C34593)
Mayor Verner and City Council Members:
As a former two-term president of a 350-member police union I would normally be opposed to the expansion of the authority of the Police Ombudsman (OBO). I do support Mr. Apple’s proposed ordinance as an interim step to regain the trust of Spokane citizens in the Spokane Police Department.My former department went through a similar experience after a tragic office involved shooting that resulted in a federal criminal civil rights investigation.The US Attorney’s Office after a lengthy investigation found that there was insufficient evidence to warrant a criminal complaint.A police review commission was created to monitor the activities of my former department.
I believe the Spokane Police Guild does have some valid issues with Chief. These are procedural related issues involving discipline of officers that the Guild is alleging Chief Kirkpatrick has not followed not followed established law and practice. The Guild has not taken issue with the actual discipline Chief Kirkpatrick has given in the recent high profile cases. The Guild’s issues however were lost in the Spokesman-Review’s spin on the Guild’s vote of no confidence. The Guild, I admit, did itself no favors in the manner the vote was taken.
I’ve met Tim Burns, the Spokane PD’s Ombudsman, several times now. I invited Mr. Burns to speak to my Controversial Issues in Law Enforcement and Community Oriented Policing criminal justice classes. In a normal political environment Mr. Burns, is fully capable of monitoring police Internal Affairs investigations. Spokane though does not have a normal political/government environment. The Catch-22 of the current OBO ordinance is that the Ombudsman is dependent upon the Internal Affairs Unit, the Police Command Staff, the Chief, and the Mayor to carry out the OBO’s duties. Mr. Burns if he remains to true to his duties/responsibilities to the people, is well qualified to determine if an IA investigation of a critical incident and/or a complaint is a sham or cover up.
The OBO ordinance however provides no formal authority and or direction for Mr. Burns when a complaint is lodged against the Command Staff, the Chief, the Mayor and or in essence the City Council for failure to act as have former Sheriff Bamonte and I have recently alleged. Sheriff Bamonte’s complaint involves Chief Kirkpatrick’s refusal to take an initial police report on Sheriff Bamonte’s criminal complaint regarding preferential property tax appraisals by the County’s Assessor’s Office. Chief Kirkpatrick simply returned Bamonte’s complaint to “return sender.” Whether this complaint has merit or not, Chief Kirkpatrick’s action was unprofessional and potentially illegal. My complaint involves Spokane PD’s refusal to do the complete and thorough criminal investigation that was necessary into the death of Jo Ellen Savage in the RPS Parking Garage after repeated letters and warnings by both Sheriff Bamonte and me. See my report for the grounds to bring a federal civil RICO prosecution (Link here and Table of Evidence).
As we’ve have just seen with the federal criminal investigation into the Otto Zehm death, police testimony/reports and statements to the media have change over time in the face testifying under oath before a federal grand jury. This also extends to high-ranking members of the Police Command Staff in particular Asst. Chief Nicks who Mr. Burns directly reports to. What is Mr. Burns to do in these circumstances to carry out his mandate to the people? To regain the trust of the public in Spokane PD, must have the confidence in the Police Command Staff to carry out its duties to ensure police policy, procedure, practice, and training are changed after a critical incident like Zehm case if necessary to prevent repeat occurrences. With the City’s dragging in of its feet in the Zehm case, the public has no assurances that such review occurred and necessary changes were implemented if deemed prudent.
Mr. Burns must also seek legal counsel from the City Attorney’s Office. With Mr. Treppiedi’s actions in the Zehm case that the US Attorney’s Office was outraged by as outlined in their recent motion, it is clear the City Attorney’s Office is not acting in the best interests of the citizens of Spokane. Mr. Burns should have the discretion of seeking outside legal counsel when he feels it is appropriate particularly when it involves issues of malfeasance of the Police Command Staff.
Sincerely,
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
Riverside PD, CA
Thirty-five year law enforcement professional
Economic crimes detective as well as other complex investigative assignments
Past two-term president of the Riverside Police Officers’ Assn. Professional Vitae with significant case histories of complex criminal cases worked
The Spokane City Council will consider expanding the role/authority of the Spokane PD Police Ombudsman. Tim Burns was hired for this new position after several critical incidents in Spokane rocked the trust and confidence in the police department. The Ombudsman position was not given authority to conduct independent investigations, as the Ombudsman may deem appropriate. The new proposed ordinance will expand the authority of the Ombudsman to include independent investigations (Link to ordinance here in Tim Connor’s article).
There are many important issues that are enmeshed in this important community debate. Please plan to attend the Council Meeting if at all possible this Monday night starting at 6:00 PM, May 24, 2010 (See City Council Agenda here).
Please contact your City Council member by email to express your opinion.
The Council’s meetings are broadcast on Cable Channel 5 within Spokane if you are a Comcast subscriber. The meetings are also livestreamed (See left side rail “Watch it Live“)
Here are several articles/commentaries on the Ombudsman that frame this debate:
Here’s the reason why it’s so important to have this public discussion that I promised I would comment earlier.
The following is an excerpt of email I sent regarding having Tim Burns the SPD Ombudsman into speak to my college class on Community Oriented Policing.
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
. . . My class is somewhat up to speed with the Savage case as I’ve been using it as a teaching moment in my class on Community Oriented Policing (COP). I’ve given the class an extra credit assignment re the ongoing the Ombudsman (OPO) issues as it relates to COP. I’m having Tim Burns come in and discuss code enforcement’s role in COP projects to regain control of a neighborhood in my class Friday night.
I’ve provided my class with Tim’s (Connor) and Larry’s previous commentaries on the OPO. As I said I’m not willing to write off Tim just yet. We all know all too well that the powers that be will work to shut down any involvement of Tim Burns in the matters that they so far have concealed from the public e.g., the Savage case, the RPS bond frauds et al, and Sheriff Bamonte’s latest venture into preferential property tax appraisals by Co Assessor Baker’s Office. The true test will come when Tim runs up against this brick wall.
Should Tim encounter the tentacles of the criminal enterprise/organized crime, we have given him an alternative action/solution. Will Tim succumb to the powers that be or will he speak out to the people in his true sense and responsibility to the citizens of Spokane and demand a special prosecutor/grand jury? This will be the divining nut crunching moment:-)
COP if you don’t know is the new buzz word in police circles (Last twenty years) for re-establishing a beneficial/positive relationship with the community. With the traditional form of policing, the police became detached from the communities that they served and became very isolated and response driven. While some of COP is very idealistic and manpower intensive, it can be a powerful tool to force leverage scarce police resources. In a sense its teaching/developing the community to police itself.
However critical to this process is developing and regaining the community’s confidence and trust in the police – Spokane? There are many parallels with COP and our developing military counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq/Afghanistan.
The ideal situation is for both police/community to implement COP together. Unfortunately in many neighborhoods there is a general sense of apathy re government in general. Citizens don’t feel it’s their responsibility to intervene. Further in some neighborhoods people don’t have a well developed sense of belonging/commitment/community or empowerment to become involved. And in some cases not unlike certain neighborhoods in Iraq et al., there are terrorists embedded/entrenched in the community, and the people are hiding in their residences out of fear. In those neighborhoods the police must first develop a sense of community before moving into more advanced COP programs with a shared role of police and the community.
The literature suggest in most situations its the police who alone at first imitate COP, followed by joint police/community action and lastly and rarely by the community itself. I would argue what we’re trying to do in Spokane is the third. The community is forcing the police to change re critical incidents such as Zehm/Pete. The community senses something is wrong here hence their outrage re Zehm/Pete, however they don’t know what the real problem is. This has been concealed from them by the Spokesman-Review that is an instrumentality of the criminal enterprise that operates to conceal its criminal activity from the people. . .
In the text for my class, Spokane is highlighted for it’s innovative COP shop programs. Unfortunately for a number of reasons the COPs program became its own nonprofit entity and SPD has drifted away from involvement to the point of only giving lip service. Does this sound like Spokane? . . .
Ms. Wilton I only ask you keep an open mind. Please read Sheriff Bamonte’s and Mr. Shook’s information/evidence thoroughly and completely. Please read my evidence too. See my comment in Mr. Shook’s commentary “American Serbia”:
This is the very corrosive impact organized crime has on government. In my 35-year career as a criminal investigator, this is certainly one of the most blatantly criminal enterprises I have ever encountered. It’s hard to find words to adequately describe it. This is no appeasing of organized crime. It must be thoroughly destroyed.
The people have been repeatedly victimized by this criminal enterprise – this is organized crime. Organized crime cannot be appeased but must be destroyed because of its corrosive impact on government. The citizens of Spokane and the family of Jo Savage have a fundamental right to ensure that justice is served when their political/ governmental law enforcement bodies and decision makers because of their systemic co-option/ corruption can’t or won’t act to protect them from criminal victimization and from imminent public hazards.
In our legal system the law is of, for and by the People – NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
Ms. Wilton Spokane’s government is so dysfunctional because of its systemic corruption by the criminal enterprise led by the Cowles Co.’s, it is incapable of fixing itself. If you agree after reviewing the evidence please join with Sheriff Bamonte and me in calling for the appointment of a independent/impartial special prosecutor and grand jury whether it be federal and or state to further investigate our complaints of corruption in Spokane. What is there to lose?
As we are just now witnessing in the Otto Zehm case, a competent prosecutor using a grand jury to compel testimony from fearful, reluctant and/or complicit witnesses/suspects has an amazing affect of getting to the truth.
Read Shook’s reporting first and then you can read my comments below.
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
Spokane, WA, Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick is failing to investigate the organized criminal activities of Spokane’s powerful Cowles family in return for favorable coverage in the media dynasty’s press, charges a famous ex-sheriff.
Among other things, former Sheriff Tony Bamonte finds evidence that a massive property assessment fraud costing Spokane County property owners tens of millions of dollars appears to be underway. Bamonte’s research suggests that Cowles family members may be primary beneficiaries. “When you give some property owners a break, you have to make other property owners pick up the difference in order to meet the county’s budget,” says former Spokane County appraiser Debi Mason. Mason recently blew the whistle on $20 million worth of fraud she found in her single assigned area in the county assessor’s office. Mason says all three Spokane County Commissioners are ignoring the crisis in the county assessor’s office, and she supports Sheriff Bamonte’s call for a grand jury investigation.
1915 Spokane Press cartoon
Kirkpatrick illegally refused to investigate evidence of the assessor fraud, charges Bamonte, just as she refused to investigate evidence that public corruption revolving around the Cowles family caused the first-degree manslaughter death of a patron in the downtown Spokane shopping mall owned by the Cowleses. It’s part of an organized criminal enterprise that has gripped Washington’s second-largest city for more than a century, charges Bamonte, one of the most distinguished policemen of his generation.
Bamonte then and now
Does that make Chief Kirkpatrick the most dangerous cop in America? Read a new blog post about the situation here and judge for yourself.
***** I only played a very small role in Sheriff Bamonte’s latest investigation of Spokane County’s Assessor Ralph Baker alleged preferential property tax assessments. I am acutely aware though of the cover up of the first-degree manslaughter death of Jo Savage at the hands of the Cowleses in the River Park Square Parking Garage by all segments of our law enforcement community with the exception of the Washington State Patrol.
All law enforcement agencies involved in the Savage investigation have turned a blind eye to her death. Why?
They all failed to do and or compel the complete and the thorough criminal investigation that was necessary that followed the evidence wherever it would lead to its logical conclusion. County Prosecutor Steve Tucker’s decision not to file any criminal charges in the Savage death was the crowning blow and culmination of a long series of failures by law enforcement professionals that have abrogated their sworn duty to the citizens of Spokane. See my criminal complaint I filed with Governor Chris Gregoire re Prosecutor Tucker’s rendering of criminal assistance (See Evidence Item RW 22 Criminal complaint of 05-05-09 ).
As a former police union president, I’m not hearing that the Police Guild was at all disputing Chief Kirkpatrick’s discipline in certain high profile cases. The Guild President stated on the Fitzsimmons Radio Show, they have no issue with and welcomed the investigation of critical incidents (Officer involved death of another) by outside law enforcement agencies. In my opinion the Police Guild has some legitimate issues with Chief Kirkpatrick regarding her not following well established rules/procedures in disciplining officers. This has been costly to Spokane taxpayers. These significant issues have all but been lost in the spinning of the public narrative on the Guild’s recent vote of no confidence story by the Spokesman-Review. Why? Since when is an election won by a majority of all potential voters and not just those who actually voted? Sheriff Bamonte believes this preferential treatment of Chief Kirkpatrick by the S-R is a pay back for her aiding in the burying of the Savage case and Cowleses potential criminal involvement from public srutiny.
I concur with Sheriff Bamonte’s findings as reported by Larry Shook. Chief Kirkpatrick’s one foot in and one foot out the door of Spokane is both unfair to the rank and file of Spokane PD and the citizens of Spokane. Chief Kirkpatrick has besmirched the members of Spokane PD as a distraction from her own questionable professional actions. The Spokane PD and the Police Guild have substantial issues regarding the trust of the public. The Police Guild most assuredly could have handled this vote better. The S-R has tried to paint the Guild as as whiners and snivelers. In so doing the S-R is laying down a smoke screen to conceal more substantive issues of governmental corruption at the highest levels as led by the Cowleses.
I join too in calling for the appointment of a special prosecutor and the impanelment of a state grand jury under existing WA State Law as I outlined in my previous criminal complaint to Governor Christine Gregoire and or the impanelment of a federal grand jury. I too have met with Ombudsman Tim Burns and am in the process of filing a formal complaint regarding the Spokane PD’s handling of the Savage manslaughter investigation.
The federal prosecutors chose not to impanel a federal grand jury in their review/investigation of the RPS Bond Frauds et al. They could have chosen to investigate the Savage manslaughter case an unindicted state offense as one of their required predicate offenses to establish the existence of a criminal enterprise in filing a federal criminal RICO case. The cause of her death is very much entwined in the RPS Bond Frauds.
It’s obvious from the media reports that the federal grand jury in the Zehm case is working to get to the truth in a morass of lies by those involved:
Now we are learning that initial statements and reports do not reflect the truth – Asst. Chief Nicks and his accounts to the media. There remain issues of proper police policy, procedure and training that involve the police administration that are not being discussed. Are they being dealt with so this doesn’t happen again? Is police administration be held accountable or are we simply making Ofc. Thompson the scapegoat for a failure of management.?
Why did the federal prosecutors choose to impanel a grand jury in the Otto Zehm Case and not in the RPS et al matters?
While Spokane citizens are righteously outraged by the death of Otto Zehm at the hands of Spokane PD, the should be similarly outraged at the death of Jo Ellen Savage and cover up too. The Zehm and Savage deaths are only symptomatic of a much deeper and darker problem – the dysfunctional Spokane government that has been so thoroughly corrupted by an ongoing criminal enterprise.
This is the very corrosive impact organized crime has on government. In my 35-year career as a criminal investigator, this is certainly one of the most blatantly criminal enterprises I have ever encountered. It’s hard to find words to adequately describe it. This is no appeasing of organized crime.It must be thoroughly destroyed.
The Cowles Co, the developer of RPS et al., in my opinion by a clear pattern and practice of ongoing criminal activity, is a criminal enterprise as defined in the Federal RICO Act (See, “Causes of action for RICO prosecution” E-RW27).This criminal enterprise has systemically co-opted/corrupted the City of Spokane government. . .
I find it detestable and contemptuous that my colleagues in the law enforcement/prosecutorial community at all levels have failed to perform their sworn duties on behalf have the public especially with regard to the Savage manslaughter case.
And in my concluding statement:
The people have been repeatedly victimized by this criminal enterprise – this is organized crime.Organized crime cannot be appeased but must be destroyed because of its corrosive impact on government. The citizens of Spokane and the family of Jo Savage have a fundamental right to ensure that justice is served when their political/ governmental law enforcement bodies and decision makers because of their systemic co-option/ corruption can’t or won’t act to protect them from criminal victimization and from imminent public hazards.
In our legal system the law is of, for and by the People – NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
I voted for Mayor Mary Verner in the last election as I believed she would bring about the change that is so desperately needed in Spokane government. I was wrong as Shook quotes Sheriff Bamonte in his earlier piece, “American Serbia,” Mayor Vener turned her back on the people who elected her. So far Mayor Verner has been unwilling to confront the insidious influence that the Cowles Co. has on Spokane government. In the RPS frauds alone the Spokane taxpayers were robbed of $87.5 million dollars.
In a recent S-R article thread on the death of Otto Zehm I posted a “punch list” of things that Mayor Verner has the authority/power to do immediately or can use her bully pulpit to lobby for that would be helpful. I would encourage all to email Mayor Verner and demand that she do so:
Masters of Administration, University of California, Riverside, CA
BA Political Science, Cal State University, Fullerton, CA (With Honors)
AA Administration of Justice, Riverside Community College, Riverside, CA (With Distinction)
Riverside Sheriff’s Academy – graduated academically No. 1
Past two-term President Riverside Police Officers’ Assn, Riverside, CA
Former planning commissioner City of Grand Terrace, CA
Past multi-term president of a CA statewide investigators’ association.
Instructor in criminal justice, ITT Technical Institute (Spokane Valley) – Forensics and Crime Scene Investigation, Controversial Issues in Law Enforcement and Community Oriented Policing Professional Vitae with significant case histories of complex criminal cases worked
Attorney Michael Ormsby was formally nominated for US Attorney for the Eastern District of WA by President Obama. Talk about leaving the fox to guard the hen house. Award winning investigative reporter Tim Connor characterized Ormsby’s nomination as:
. . . like nominating Bernie Madoff to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. It makes no sense.
Connor has written this piece at the Center for Justice:
Extensive evidence of Ormsby’s complicity in a multimillion-dollar federal securities fraud was provided to the President, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy in a March 2009 letter sent by a distinguished citizen group. The group has special expertise in the scandal Ormsby was involved in. The letter writers were a former Spokane mayor, a former Spokane city councilwoman, the retired sheriff credited with solving the oldest open murder case in U.S. history, and a multi-award winning journalist whose work was cited in a related securities fraud case and an IRS investigation. . .
I have written this letter in opposition to the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. If you would like to contact the Committee before Ormsby’s confirmation hearing, here’s the contact information:
United States Senate
Committee on the Judiciary
224 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary 224 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510
Re:Nomination of Michael Ormsby for U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of WA
Dear Senators Leahy and Sessions:
President Obama has recently nominated Michael Ormsby for the position of U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.Mr. Ormsby in completing the Committee’s background questionnaire has knowingly failed to disclose and or concealed material facts that call into question his competency to hold this high office [See questionnaire here]
I support a President’s prerogative to appoint U.S. Attorneys that share his/her legal views.This presupposes though that these nominees are above reproach in their ethical and professional standards. Mr. Ormsby doesn’t possess these high standards incumbent of being the chief federal law enforcement officer for this district.Mr. Ormsby in his questionnaire failed to disclosed that the IRS took the unprecedented action of publicly rebuking him for his actions in the River Park Square (RPS) bond fraud as reported in Bond Buyer for,“ . . . incompetence and disreputable conduct”[My emphasis].The RPS bond fraud will ultimately cost the Spokane taxpayers a minimum of $87.5 million dollars. Had Mr. Ormsby followed his professional ethics and standards, this bond fraud would have never occurred.
I would direct the Committee’s attention to the attached Table of References & Sources.In particular the previous letter written to President Obama protesting the nomination of Mr. Ormsby by prominent Spokane citizens from both sides of the political aisle.Former mayor John Talbott, former councilwoman Cherie Rodgers, former Pend Oreille sheriff Tony Bamonte, and former Camas magazine senior editor Tim Connor signed this letter.I have contacted each of them and they still stand by this letter.
I request that the Committee’s investigators and staff review this material prior to the Committee’s confirmation hearing for Mr. Ormsby.I would further request that the Committee question Mr. Ormsby as to why he failed to disclose this material information.
Sincerely,
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
8921 North Indian Trail Rd., PMB 210
Spokane, WA 99208
Attachment:Table of References & Sources
Cc:
President Barack Obama
Honorable Members of the U. S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary
The Honorable Patty Murray – U.S. Senate
The Honorable Maria Cantwell – U.S. Senate
The Honorable Cathy McMorris-Rodgers – U.S. House of Representatives
Eric Holder, U.S. Attorney General
*****
Table of Resources & Sources
RW1IRS report disallowing tax-exempt status of RPS Bonds I – saying the, “Casino was rigged.”
RW2IRS public rebuke of Michael Ormsby for his actions in the issuance of RPS Bonds I as reported in the Bond Buyer
RW3The Ominous Mr. Ormsby – A commentary by award winning investigative reporter Larry Shook
RW4An “Ominous” Pick – An article by award winning investigative reporter Tim Connor
RW5Attorney Gary Ceriani’s, lead counsel of the successful RPS civil bond fraud case, “91-point Omnibus Statement of Facts” (RPS Bond Frauds I)
RW8March 9, 2009 letter to President Obama, protesting the Ormsby nomination, signed by former mayor John Talbott, former councilwoman Cherie Rodgers, former Pend Oreille sheriff Tony Bamonte, and former Camas magazine senior editor Tim Connor.
RW9Complaint filed with US Attorney General Eric Holder by former Sheriff Bamonte re RPS Bonds Frauds and the death of Jo Ellen Savage in the RPS Parking Garage & Table of Evidence
