Thanks for hanging with this story, Cienna. This is one of those times where I find myself wishing there was a CCTV recording of the incident, so that we could see what "really" happened - but that's an easy trap to fall into. Do we all want to be issued personal bodycams? Ugh.

I hope justice is served appropriately, but even if we assume everyone involved is telling the truth (at least, from their subjective point of view) this one's tough.

85% of a fireman's job is helping the homeless? what the fuck?

@2,



Basically every time I see a fire truck responding to a call, and I can see who/what they're responding to, it's a homeless person incapacitated in public. I'm not buying this guy's testimony in general. For one, it wouldn't surprise me if a firefighter's daily interaction with the homeless would make him *more* contemptuous of the homeless, not less. But I easily believe that firefighting services are mostly called out to help homeless people.

Obviously none of you ever spend ANY time in Pioneer Square/downtown. Firemen are busy ALL DAY resuscitating drunks and bandaging crackheads after their fights. Or crawling through the bushes of Kobe Terrace Park looking for survivors from the previous night's shenanigans.

I encourage you all to spend a day walking around Pioneer Square, then get back to us on what you observe.

Being a PS resident, the shit I've seen makes this fireman's testimony seem extremely believable.

Fuck these assholes partying all day long in PS. Enough is enough.

@2--The charge is hate crime, so the defendants' opinions of homeless people is relevant.

But, as Keshmeshi indicates, this guy's experience dealing with the homeless more likely to produce a seething resentment that comes out under the influence of alcohol than to turn the guy into the Mother Theresa he's trying to sound like.