Thats the officer on the left, and at the bottom of the screen grab is his fist making contact with the womans upturned face.
  • Seattle Police Department
  • That's the officer on the left, and at the bottom of the screen is his fist making contact with the woman's upturned face.

The Latest on the SPD Cop Who Punched a Handcuffed Woman So Hard, He Broke Her Eye Bone: The City Attorney's Office looked at the case and thought it “undoubtedly met the felony standard,” but county prosecutors went: Naaah. No charges. So now federal prosecutors are like: Um, what?? The US Attorney is looking into the case as a "possible federal criminal civil-rights violation."

Watch SPD's Video of It Right Here: The officer's side of the story is that the punching was prompted by the woman kicking him, although I have to say it doesn't look to me like much of a kick. Even "the Washington State Patrol found that it was not clear whether [the] kick connected with the officer, even after the video was enhanced by the FBI and a private video company." Have a look, see what you think. If you're in a hurry, skip to 2:40:

KIRO Has a Few More Details and Photos from This Case: Including this detail: "Since the Department of Justice determined SPD had a pattern of excessive force, the department has new 'use of force' guidelines. Shepherd"—the officer in that video—"actually taught the use of force class in the same month of the incident."

As for Cases That Prosecutors Do Allow to Go Forward, Why Do Grand Juries Favor the Police? "The balance tips toward the police from the start," begins a piece in the New York Times today. The lawyer for a man killed by police in Florida after he was mistaken for a robber—he had actually just gotten into a car accident and was knocking on doors looking for help—says he didn't think the cop who killed his client would have been charged if state prosecutors hadn't taken over from county prosecutors. He believes, "The district attorney’s office works way too closely with the local police department and individual officers to be able to objectively look at these cases."

Last night at Westlake.
  • Heidi Groover
  • Last night's protest in downtown Seattle.

Protests Were Ongoing in Seattle Last Night: More photos here. There was one arrest.

Meanwhile, in New York, Protests Continue Today: "The protesters ran out onto the highway, unveiled banners reading 'Eric Garner,' 'Mike Brown' and 'Black Lives Matter,' laid homemade coffins on the freeway, and chanted and sang songs together."

No more of this kind of fun for Rhapsody. Rhapsodys dead, and someone took her teeth.

Did You Know an Orca Was Found Beached Off Vancouver Island Last Week? And That Some Asshole Sawed Her Teeth Off in the Middle of the Night? She was 18 years old, she "was named Rhapsody, and researchers say she was also pregnant. Her death brings the Puget Sound orca population down to 77." It's amazing how much researchers know about these whales. Rhapsody "was last seen in Puget Sound in late November and last photographed with her family on Nov. 26 east of Victoria."

It Was a Bad Weekend for Bertha: "New measurements taken during the weekend" show that the soil underneath the viaduct is "collapsing unevenly," KOMO reports this morning, "putting the viaduct and nearby buildings at greater risk of structural damage."

Man Tested at Harborview for Ebola: Doesn't seem to have Ebola. He "will continue to be monitored."

One Person Has Died After a Shooting at a Motorcycle Club in Georgetown: "The shooting occurred in the 900 block of South Doris Street around 4 a.m." on Sunday. Two men were taken to Harborview, where one of them died.

A Pilot Lost Control While Landing a Lightweight Vintage Aircraft in Snohomish County: And "careened off the runway," striking two different hangars at Paine Field. But he was fine! All he did was damage the buildings and "the tips of both wings." Nice job, pilot.

Hawks: Take down Eagles.