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Hello Spokane – Are you listening?
A must read by all citizens of Spokane – Otto Zehm is only the tip of the iceberg of what is rotten at the core of Spokane. Tim Connor of the Center for Justice as usual knocks this one at of the park.
Award winning investigative reporter Tim Connor and is the former reporting partner of Larry Shook (www.larryshook.com). The Zehm case is symptomatic of the much deeper cancer that must be excised from Spokane. Organized crime can’t be tolerated it must be destroyed. It corrodes those we put in positions of authority to govern.
WE THE PEOPLE – An American Spring
Bamonte’s BroadsidePublished on September 19, 2011
Spokane’s most famous cop is a living reminder of the city’s penchant for denial, cover-up and self-delusion. In the deepening vortex of the Otto Zehm case, he’s now taking aim at Spokane’s top leaders. . .
Center for Justice – http://cforjustice.org/2011/
09/19/bamontes-broadside/
UPDATE I:
Read Tim Connor’s article on the City’s disingenuous FAQs that the US Attorney’s Office slammed as patently false, Shawn Vestal’s column, KREM 2’s attempt to get a statement from Mayor Verner, and Mayor Verner on the KXLY’s morning radio show:
“Patently False”
Published on September 28, 2011
In the war of words between the City and the Justice Department, an Assistant U.S. Attorney alleges Mayor Verner misled the press and the public in a September 9th media release.
UPDATE, October 1st: The City is now acknowledging that there was no meeting with the Justice Department as it had previously reported. . .
Shawn Vestal’s column:
October 1, 2011 in City
Shawn Vestal: Zehm case demands city’s focus
KREM2 TV’s coverage:
Mayor: “No comment” on claim of “false statements” in Zehm case
City responds in Zehm case, now says FAQ sheet “was not perfect”
KXLY’s sound bite from Mayor Verner on their morning show this morning 10-03-11:
We spoke to Mayor Verner about the Otto Zehm case
UPDATE II:
Rick Rydell has made the Zehm case a priority on his morning talk show on KXLY 920AM (Spokane, WA – Livestream – http://tunein.com/radio/KXLY-920-s26511/)
I just sent this around to our local rip/read media. Kudos to KREM and KXLY for actually doing journeyman’s work beyond what the S-R has reported already –
I wouldn’t let the Mayor Verner off so quickly. The Mayor still hasn’t answered Asst. US Atty Tim Durkin’s blast on the FAQs about a “court” finding no impropriety on the part of the City/City Attorney. This has gone unanswered. That’s because they can’t. NO COURT has ruled on this.
I’m sure you’ve heard the Mayor on KXLY yesterday morning. How can you reconcile her saying she doesn’t know any more about this case than a regular citizen. This is totally disingenuous.
We spoke to Mayor Verner about the Otto Zehm case
And of course here is her statement from 2009:
S-R source here
• March 1, 2009: Mayor Mary Verner and Chief Kirkpatrick publicly declare their support for Officer Thompson. “I’ve looked into the details surrounding this incident,” Verner says in an interview with The Spokesman-Review, “and I just don’t think the behavior of the officer rose to a criminal behavior.” Says Kirkpatrick: Thompson “has my unequivocal support. Based on all the information and evidence I have reviewed, I have determined that Officer Karl Thompson acted consistent with the law.”
And the actual S-R story:http://www.spokesman.
com/stories/2009/mar/01/otto- zehm-case-at-crossroads/ DON”T LET HER OFF THE HOOK SO EASILY
UPDATE III:
From the when you thought that things couldn’t get worse, it just hit the fan –
If Mayor Verner had any spine she would immediately fire Chief Kirkpatrick, Asst. Chief Nicks, City Attorney Delaney and his able assistant Roco Treppiedi –
Further the Mayor should call upon the Spokane County Commissioners to have all OIS/OIDs in Spokane County be reviewed by an inquest panel, presided over by a superior court judge in front of a jury pulled from the jury pull under the rule of law and evidence. This can occur after the OIS/OID criminal investigations is handed off to the County Prosecutor to review. The panel’s finding would not be binding on the Prosecutor in his/her opinion to file criminal charges or not. This would bring transparency to these OIS/OIDs where the evidence/testimony can be vetted in the open where it can be challenged on cross-examination.
Spokane police detective alleges witness tampering
http://www.spokesman.com/stori
es/2011/oct/05/spokane-police- detective-alleges-witness-teri ng/ A Spokane police detective has filed a formal complaint asking the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office to investigate allegations that Chief Anne Kirkpatrick and city attorneys have engaged in felony witness tampering.
Detective Jay Mehring filed the complaint with the sheriff’s office Sunday, alleging that the city refused to renew a contract with the department’s longtime psychologist after she gave an opinion favorable to Mehring as part of his $3.5 million civil suit against the city. That suit alleges he was wrongfully terminated in 2007 amid reports that he threatened to harm his wife. . .