FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 5, 2009
SUBJECT: Criminal complaint filed against Spokane Co Prosecutor Steve Tucker and others with Gov. Christine Gregoire
Spokane, WA – A criminal complaint was filed with Gov. Christine Gregoire today by retired police Det. Ron Wright. Det. Wright is a seasoned criminal investigator having previously worked for Riverside PD, CA for thirty-five years and retired to Spokane two years ago.
Det. Wright is alleging in his criminal complaint that Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker clearly failed to perform an official act/duty thereby rendering criminal assistance (RCW 9A.76.070 – a class C felony) to an ongoing criminal enterprise as led by the Cowles Co in Spokane, WA – owners of the River Park Square and The Spokesman-Review. From a letter sent to the Governor Gregoire today regarding Mr. Tucker’s decision not to file first degree manslaughter charges in the death of Jo Ellen Savage in the River Park Square parking garage on April 8, 2006:
Formal request for you to call for a complete and thorough criminal investigation by the Attorney General’s Office of the actions of Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker and others or for you to initiate a grand jury investigation of organized crime in the Spokane Region involving members of the Cowles family and elected and public officials.
The factual basis for this complaint is contained in a recent letter by Det. Wright to Ast. Attorney General Scott Marlow who assisted in a limited review of Savage case material sent to Attorney General Rob McKenna by Mr. Tucker:
The Savage case was no isolated tragic accident. I’m totally at a loss as to how Mr. Tucker can make a rational criminal filing decision without first having a complete and thorough criminal investigation for him to review. . . Mr. Tucker set up the Savage case for failure by not doing his duty as charged by the people. Mr. Tucker’s failure to act ensured that justice would not be served. Mr. Tucker’s decision not to file charges was not just a mere exercise in prosecutorial discretion. When Mr. Tucker’s action is viewed in the light of the totality of the circumstances surrounding the death of Jo Savage it was a criminal act in deference to and furtherance of an ongoing criminal enterprise. . . [Emphasis added]
This letter requests that Governor Gregoire take immediate action:
I am formally requesting that you direct Attorney General Rob McKenna to conduct a criminal investigation into my criminal complaint against Mr. Tucker and others per your statutory authority in RCW 43.10.090 and RCW 43.10.232, or initiate a grand jury investigation of organized crime in the Spokane Region involving members of the Cowles family and elected and public officials. . .
Documents I have provided you corroborate the facts that the Cowles parking garage had and to this day, continues to have life-threatening and serious structural problems that City officials and Cowles family members are aware of and fail to correct. I request you immediately direct the Department of Labor and Industries to become involved and act to ensure an impartial and credible inspection be conducted of the RPS parking garage to determine if safe for continued occupancy and whether any structural repairs are necessary.
Det. Wright is joined in his request by fellow Spokane citizens Tony Bamonte, former sheriff of Pend Orielle County and subject of the best selling book Breaking Blue, Col. John Talbott (Ret. USAF) former Mayor of Spokane, and Tim Connor an award winning investigative jounalist.
CONTACT INFO:
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
nar9350 [AT] gmail [DOT] com