Rough treatment by law enforcement has resulted in a $75K payout to the victim in Snohomish County. The county agreed to settle the case rather than litigate it. The case involved the tackling and arrest of a health care worker during the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. The worker was tackled while hurrying to catch a bus. She was still dressed in hospital scrubs when mauled. She was tackled and arrested for failing to obey commands to stop. The problem wasn’t that she wouldn’t stop, it is that she was running to catch a bus after a 13-hour shift and had her headphones, so she didn’t hear the deputy’s command(s). To make matters worse, the victim has sickle cell disease and thus the tackle to the ground was worse than her for most because that disease makes her more susceptible to injury and bruising than most. The reality is that it is quite likely the deputy didn’t even have a legal basis to demand that the health care worker stop, and hence the arrest wasn’t even lawful. To avoid litigation of the issue the County settled with the aggrieved party. As part of the settlement the county, as is normal in settlements, admitted no liability on the part of it or the deputy. Not all arrests are valid, and this is a clear showing, whether the county acknowledged accountability/ liability or not, that law enforcement personnel (as a whole) may want to evaluate situations a bit more thoroughly before they rush to judgment.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a criminal charge, immediately contact a Seattle Criminal Attorney. A Criminal lawyer is not going to judge you and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Criminal Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties and can help direct people on how to best deal with their criminal charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So, it should go without saying that someone cited for a misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Criminal Lawyer as soon as possible. Criminal charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Criminal Lawyer. SQ Attorneys can be reached at (425) 359-3791 and/or (206) 441-0900.
