A King County juvenile probation officer who was charged with obstruction and assault after a September 2008 scuffle with police—which the Seattle NAACP claims was the result of racial profiling—has been found not guilty in Seattle Municipal Court.

Probation officer Yvette Gaston says that in September 2008, she took one of her juvenile clients shopping for back to school clothes and dropped him off in the Central District. Minutes later, Gaston received a call from the teen, who told her police had stopped him for jaywalking and accused him of stealing the clothes.

Gaston, who is black, drove to the scene to show the officers, who are white, the receipt for the clothing. Gaston says officers grabbed her, and when she tried to call 911, a sergeant at the scene told the 911 operator to cancel the call. Gaston also claims police called the King County Superior Court to complain about her. Three days after Gaston told her story and an NAACP press conference on racial profiling, the city attorney’s office then filed obstruction and misdemeanor assault charges against her. It’s unclear why the city attorney’s office chose to pursue charges against Gaston, as assault on an officer cases are typically handled by King County prosecutors.

Yesterday, Gaston’s obstruction charge was dismissed, and this morning a municipal court jury found Gaston not guilty of assault.

Jonah Spangenthal-Lee: Proving you wrong since 1983.

35 replies on “Probation Officer Charged With Assault Found Not Guilty”

  3. This is a weird one. Isn’t a juvenile probation officer technically police too? I thought the “thin blue line” always had each other’s back.

  5. Jonah,

    How come you never post links to the court filings and/or police incident reports?

    Stories like this, I often wonder, “WTF was the officer / prosecutor thinking?” It might be illuminating to read their narratives…

  6. I’m glad that Gaston was exonerated, but I wonder how much money she had to pay for her legal defense? Add on top of that the stress that 11 months of waiting for her day in court caused and I am in total agreement with the sentiment @4. What the hell was Tom Carr’s office thinking?

  7. @5 It’s seldom illuminating. When a cop says A and a defendant says B they prosecute unless there is a preponderance of evidence against the cops testimony. So the proceedings are simply a matter of deciding on the credibility of the various parties, and prosecutors bank on juries believing cops.
    The moral of the story: when you go to the police don’t carry a cell phone. Carry a loaded sawed off shotgun and be prepared to shoot first and ask questions later. At least that seems to be the moral they are trying to project.

  8. @3–nope. Juvenile Probation COUNSELORS are employed by the County, and are in no way akin to police. Some adult parole officers may be permitted to take someone into custody to enforce parole (like what you’ve seen on TV), but the ones who work in juvenile setting are completely different. Some develop very close relationships with the kids they supervise–like in this case–and it’s not surprising that they wouldn’t have each other’s back.

  12. @11,

    It’s also a way to create a contemporaneous audiorecording of events, and if your phone doesn’t have a good recording feature, it might be the best option.

  15. I mean, you might as well dial 911 when McDonald’s only gives you 3 nuggets. How else are you going to get a supervising officer on the scene?

  18. Cops need to be elected.
    There is no communication between SPD and the communities they serve… with our tax dollars.
    This shit pisses me off.

  20. I wonder what would’ve happened if this situation took place in the Capitol Hill area or Magnolia! Hmmmm… This case was so bogus, it was truly a waste of tax payers money! But all in all the truth prevailed!

  21. @14/15: Okay, that’s really a terrible analogy. If you see a crazy person waving a gun around and yelling incomprehensible nonsense, you call 911, even if he hasn’t shot you yet. The beat cops were acting in a way that was, at the very least, bizarre, and possibly illegal.

    Suspicious and possibly illegal behavior by armed persons is, yes, a good reason to dial in an emergency.

    How is that at all like someone at McDonalds getting your order wrong?

  22. @11: You should be ashamed of your comments.

    I know Yvette personally. She is one of the most giving, fair and respectful people I know. For this to have happen to her is an outrage and a shame. I always knew she was “not guilty.” The amount of stress this situation put no her and her family is wrong.

    I wish the abuse of power by those in high places would end….now!

    To Yvette: I love you, cousin.

    To her attorney: Well-done, sir!

  23. @11: You should should be ashamed of yourself. Yet, I don’t think you’d be able to fully wrap your brain around the real problem, the real problem in reference to the excessive misuse of power against vulnerable African American youth. Judging whether that picture is you or not and your tone endorsing the misuse of authority, you’d never be able to understand what it’s like to be on the other side of the bars or better yet being African American on the other side of the law. It’s uneducated people like yourself, that let unfortunate events as these go unnoticed which in turn repeals any efforts we’ve made as a country towards equality and love for all creation.

    I have been blessed to know Ms Gaston personally. It’s hard enough to survive in this world as a woman, less know as a African American woman. Not only is she surviving, she’s devoting her career to helping the youth make something better of themselves. She’s promoting change to America rather than sitting back watching our country repeat it’s vial history. On top of that, she’s went through life as a single mother, gotten her education, learned the ways of people; people like yourself. She’s learned to settle for nothing other than success spite people like yourself following society’s culture norms on the moving sidewalk to destruction.

    The police vow to protect us, whether is physically or emotionally. The police have responsibilities and obligations to “do the right thing.” When someone is misusing their authority in any way why wouldn’t you call the police? Who else would stand a chance of correcting their actions? Or perhaps Ms. Gaston should have let it go, so that the police could harass another young man, who may not have been able to defend himself? Is that what you’d suggest? Like I said you should be ashamed of yourself.

  24. Speaking of Dick Moves (isn’t that a Bob Seger song?), “Where’s your receipt for that?” is a fun game cops have been playing with certain folks for a long, long time. And I don’t just mean shoplifters.

  25. Well I also know Ms Gaston and she is very determined but she is not this perfect hero that you are painting her to be although this case was petty and a waste of tax payers dollars I do believe she did slightly overstep her bounds. She is not a probation OFFICER she is a COUNSELOR. All and all funny how stressed out she was but she sure got a bunch of energy when they told her she was found innocent to immediately be ready to prepare to sue them. Be Thankful and Blessed that the truth prevailed. I mean wasn’t that your concern was that justice prevail so why the lawsuit?

  26. TO MISS LET IT GO….FUCK YOU U DONT KNO SHIT SO U CAN SAVE YOUR DAMN COMMENT AND SHOVE IT HOW BOUT THAT MISS YVETTE IS A HERO TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP TO THE FUCKED UP POLICE AND AND MAKE SURE THAT JUSTICE IS SERVED AND IF U KNO HER U MUST BE A HATER YA DUMB BITCH LOL AND HELL YEA SHE WAS STRESSED WHO WOULDNT BE AND THANK GOD SHE DID WIN WHO WOULDNT BE HAPPY WHEN UR FUCKIN JOB AN LIFE IS ON THE LINE HUH DUMB BITCH AND WHO THE FUCK WOULDNT SUE AFTER UR LEFT WITH COUNTLESS LAWYER BILLS ECT.. HUH THE FUCKIN POLICE DESERVES TO BE SUED WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK U R YEA U MUST BE THE POLICE…AND YEA THE TRUTH HAS PREVAILED AND NOW THEY MUST PAY U DUMB FUCK U TRY GOING THREW THAT SHIT AND THEN TELL ME HOW U FEEL MISS LETITGO I THINK I NEED TO LET YOU GO PLAY ON THE FREEWAY BLIND FOLDED CUS ODVIOUSLY UR A DUMB DUESH BAGGGGG DO THE WORLD A FAVOR AN KILLL YOURSELF

  27. Yeah to letitgo you sound stupid you must be white or igonrant to say the shit you said get a life and quit posting dumb comments on the internet, or better yet since you seem to know so much look up the report and read it for yourself.. then make a statement!!

  28. Well I know Ms. Gaston personally and she is a very intelligent, sincere & courageous woman. Before you judge a person and their actions get to know them first, then maybe you’ll understand their heart & motivation. Our black children are persecuted enough and it is only right to stand up for what you know is right! To all the folks who are adding negative comments/opinions stop hating! If only you walked in our shoes as a Probation Counselor for just one day then maybe you would understand why WE fight so hard for our children.

  29. To #26 you are not even worth my time commenting on YOUR ignorant ass comment. I am fully aware of the report #27. #28 I do see what you are saying. My comment was not based on Ms. Gaston as a personal attack but if I am not mistaken King County offers counseling to workers at least 6 sessions. Ms. Gaston also still had her job and was able to work maybe not to her fullest capacity but she was allowed to continue to work. The government does not print special money to cover lawsuits in any capacity and there is enouhg stress on the economy. So again why can’t this be a message to the Police that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated then her having to finacially benefit from it when she already won the fight.

  30. That should have been a no brainer, If Yvette had actually committed the crime of Assaulting an Officer she would have been jailed on teh spot! I’m glad this part is over and now Yvette can get back to somewhat of a normal life, I’m sure this has been a very tramatic past year for her. My prayers are with you Yvette congratulations!

  32. #31 Ms. Gaston isn’t hurting for money. So save the “poor her” drama. She has been doing quite well and enjoying herself as usual. It hasn’t stopped her from doing many things. I am sure that it has caused some stress but this was a bullshit case anyway all the rest of this is formalities. just like when you get in a car accident the first thing you do is start physical therapy whether you need it or not “just in case”. In her case she started counseling.

  33. OH let it go already LET IT GO!

    Yvette doesn’t need any help from you she
    will be just fine! She is a child of the King and God lets none of his children go lacking or without!! This is why she was found innocent!

  34. I know she will that was my point! I will take your advice and LET IT GO and I think she should do the same but knowing her she won’t. At least something good came out of this and hopefully it will leave a lasting impression.

  35. To let it go. You sure seem to know a lot about Ms.Gaston and her personal affairs. Or at least you think you know a lot about her. You really know nothing about what she is hurting for or anything about what this case has cost her. You don’t know how much time she has had to take off of work, how this has affected her kids, her health or anything of that nature. But you sure have a lot to say about what you think is right and wrong. You say she is not a perfect Hero, but this was not about whether she was a hero or not, this was about whether or not the police had the right to do what was done and take her through what she has been through. You did not seem to have anything to say about what this has cost her, it is all about what you think she may cost them. Letitgo you are really sad. I would hope you never find yourself facing anything similar.

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