City Attorney Pete Holmes says he’ll decide any day now whether to charge a Seattle police officer involved in a case of apparent misconduct. In April, Detective Shandy Cobane was caught in a now-infamous video stomping on a Latino suspect (who turned out to be innocent) and saying, “I’m going to beat the fucking Mexican piss out of you, homie.”
It’s one of several controversial police incidents this year that the department’s Office of Professional Accountability has placed under internal investigation (so many cases have cropped up that the ACLU recently requested a federal probe).
“We have a process for allegations of misconduct—a process that tests our patience and frustrates a lot of people,” says Council Member Tim Burgess. He says he supports that deliberative process and the public “should be asking if it is working, by watching it go by like a tortoise.”
However, the city’s internal investigation—even a disciplinary action from inside the department—is not enough in this case. Holmes should prosecute Cobane.
The King County Prosecutor’s Office had the chance to charge Cobane but declined in September—saying the offense didn’t qualify as a felony hate crime under state law—so Chief John Diaz referred the case to the city’s prosecutor. Now Holmes says he has “taken a long, careful look at the Cobane case” and “will make a final decision very soon.”
Seattle’s assault law, a misdemeanor instead of a felony, may be more conducive to convicting Cobane (threats of violence can be considered a crime). If convicted of misdemeanor assault, he could be punished by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. But even if the city loses, the simple act of prosecuting Cobane would be a victory for the public. After a rash of apparent misconduct cases, many Seattle residents want the city to deliver a deft blow of accountability to the police department, and they don’t think the plodding internal reviews are working. “There hasn’t been a single use-of-force… in the past couple of years that the SPD hasn’t deemed sustained—as in it never really happened,” James Bible, chapter president of the local NAACP, told The Stranger in September.
Prosecuting Cobane, and cases like his, may be difficult until the mayor and the police chief make changes, too, says Council Member Nick Licata. Police aren’t always filling out use-of-force forms after violent incidents, he says, adding, “It is difficult for the city attorney to follow up on these incidents if there isn’t a paper trail.” 
Cobane absolutely needs to be prosecuted. I was found guilty of making threats because I left a voice mail on my fathers phone which said “I wish you were dead.” I explained that my statement had been taken out of context because the rest of the voice mail clearly showed I was talking about wishing he had died when I was a child instead of being alive and beating the snot out of me nightly for years. I mentioned the Cobane incident in court and said if that doesn’t rise to the level of a threat then how can my statement possibly meet that bar? I have been left with the clear idea that there are two sets of standards in Seattle and often what constitutes a crime when done by a citizen is perfectly fine if done by a cop.
you say that like its news.
Yeah I know, unfortunately now I have personal experience.
Now Holmes says he has “taken a long, careful look at the Cobane case” and “will make a final decision very soon.”
Translation: I’ll set it aside and SAY I’m looking at it until everyone forgets about it, then we’ll make it go away.
Business as usual at the SPD.
Over 90% of complaints against cops is ‘unfounded’ or ‘sustained’.
And if you don’t think the pigs are on the take? I worked at a place that was apparently a front for cocaine dealing on a major scale, and the person doing the paperwork would see cancelled checks for THOUSANDS written to individual cops.
i know what number 4 is talking about from first hand. i was a nypd officer for about a year, and pretty much all we did was drive around and collect money. cops are crooked as fuck, the cops in everett are pretty bad. the story’ s i could tell , but oh well. now i get paid a lot to touch peoples junk at sea tac. not my idea of fun , but man the checks are great. and yes we do fuck with you people on purpose, and yes we cuold go a lot faster but why? if you don’t like it , take a fuckin train. no one gives a shit there.
Well, the verdict is in:
“”Though the incident was marred by an unacceptable and unnecessary racist comment, our office concludes that neither officer’s conduct was criminal, and I decline to file misdemeanor charges,” city attorney Peter S. Holmes said in a news release.”
Serious question: is there anyone out there over the age of 8 that DIDN’T see this one coming?