Tagged: Lakewood shootings

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington Department of Corrections failed to adequately supervise Maurice Clemmons from the day he arrived in Washington from Arkansas. That's the conclusion of a former corrections supervisor who's now an expert witness in a new lawsuit against the Department.

Making headlines around the Northwest this morning:

• Hundreds Protest in Seattle After Birk Decision
• Agreement Reached on Deficit Cutting Package
• Wet Snow for Parts of Western Washington
• More Charges in Lakewood Police Shooting Case

Surprise, Anger, Emotion Follow Birk Rebuke, Resignation

Protesters numbering in the hundreds marched from downtown Seattle to a Capitol Hill Police precinct following a day of dramatic developments in the case of Officer Ian Birk. In the span of a few hours Wednesday:

• The King County Prosecutor's Office announced it would not file criminal charges against Birk for the shooting death of Native American woodcarver John T. Williams.
• The Seattle Police Firearms Review Board reported its finding that Birk's shooting of Williams was unjustified. (Video here.)
• Officer Birk resigned from the Seattle Police Department.
  

A batch of documents released by the Pierce County Sheriff late last week reveal more about the man who killed four Lakewood Police officers in a Parkland coffee shop in late 2009. More than 2,000 pages provide added details about Maurice Clemmons, his family and the investigation into the murders.

The documents were released following a long legal dispute between Pierce County and a number of news organizations, including The News Tribune, The Seattle Times, The Associated Press and three Seattle television stations: KIRO, KOMO and KING. 

     The state Supreme Court is considering whether to release thousands of police records related to last year's fatal shooting of four Lakewood police officers.

      The Seattle Times is seeking release of the records. The files are from the case of Maurice Clemmons, an ex-con who gunned down the Lakewood officers in November.

      Clemmons was killed by a Seattle officer following a massive manhunt. But a half-dozen people are charged with crimes for allegedly aiding him.