Manuel Ellis's mom reports tracking device on her car: Ahead of taking the stand to testify at her son's murder trial Monday, Marcia Carter-Patterson reported she'd found an AirTag tracking device on her car, which she turned into the Washington Attorney General's Office, according to the Seattle Times. Carter-Patterson also said family members found her tires slashed Saturday morning, a combination of incidents that led to Ellis's sister alleging witness intimidation against Carter-Patterson. Lawyers for the three Tacoma Police Department cops on trial for Ellis's murder denied their clients' involvement. The lawyer for Ellis's family noted a history of Tacoma police and the Pierce County Sheriff's Department surveilling the family.
Trial resumes Tuesday:Â The trial continues for Tacoma Police Officers Matthew Collins, Christopher âShaneâ Burbank, and Timothy Rankine for the death of Ellis. Prosecutors say the cops used unnecessary force against Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, resulting in his suffocation and death. Today a witness who recorded the incident plans to testify about what she saw.
Are you interested in attending the #Tacomapolicetrial? @rosemontalv has the details of how to sign up to come to court in person and how to watch a livestream once the trial opens https://t.co/4swbqUO7X6
â Peter Talbot (@petejtalbot) September 27, 2023
Seattle settles wrongful death claim for $1.5 million: In February 2021, two Seattle Police Department officers shot and killed 44-year-old Derek Hayden near the downtown waterfront. In January 2022, the Office of Police Accountability found the cops, Cassidy Butler and Willard Jared, both failed to deescalate the situation and did not try other alternatives before resorting to lethal force against Hayden, who, despite holding a knife, appeared to be in a mental health crisis and only a threat to himself. For their failures, SPD Police Chief Adrian Diaz disciplined Jared with a three-day suspension without pay, and Butler with a single day. Less than a year after OPA published those findings, the City paid Hayden's estate $1.5 million, according to the City's internal claims data. The data shows that between January 2022 and August 2023, the City's paid out about $2 million to settle claims against SPD.
Two million? That's almost as much as Mayor Bruce Harrell plans to spend on gunfire detection: The Mayor's briefing memo proposed spending $1.7 million in unspent SPD salaries to pay for a controversial gunfire surveillance technology, according to KOMO. Last year the Council shot down the Mayor's proposal.Â
Water shortage continues despite rain: Seattle Public Utilities reported our watershed got less than half the rain it normally gets between May and September, prompting the utility to ask customers to cut back on water usage, according to the Seattle Times. Yesterday, SPU again asked people to continue to reduce usage, as it wants to cut water usage from about 120 million gallons a day to 100 million gallons.
Luckily, rains continue today: Cloudy, rainy, and windy with a high of 59 degrees.
Increasing rain this morningâand a decent burst of wind this afternoon.
â Seattle Weather Blog (@KSeattleWeather) October 10, 2023
Hang on to your hats, Seattle!
Death toll in Gaza climbs: Yesterday the United Nations reported an Israeli airstrike hitting one of its shelters, as bombardments level neighborhoods in Gaza City, according to the Associated Press. The Gaza death toll reached 700 reported deaths early this morning as Israel retaliates for a Hamas militant attack that killed about 900 Israelis over the weekend and resulted in the abduction of about "150 Israeli civilians and soldiers." Israel plans to continue its total blockade of the city, and Doctors Without Borders reported "dwindling medical supplies."
Environmental advocates want Bob for Governor: Washington Conservation Action, the state's big enviro coalition that includes the Washington Environmental Council and Washington Conservation Voters, endorsed Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson for Governor today. The endorsement highlighted Ferguson's creation of the AG's Environmental Protection Division, which files both civil and criminal cases against polluters.Â
Other local election updates: Former US Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Battle Ground) said she planned to run for Washington Commissioner of Public Lands, according to the Seattle Times. Herrera Beutler lost her reelection primary in 2022 after she voted to impeach President Donald Trump.Â
Dark, gloomy; the perfect Seattle Tuesday: But if you need it, take some energy from Ezra Furman today!