Seattle sexual assault cases are being ordered to ‘speed up’. Mayor Bruce Harrell has officially ordered that all felony cases (with enough evidence) be assigned to detectives for follow up by the end of next month. This mandate comes on the heels of frustrated advocates demanding a deadline for stalled sexual assault investigations. The executive order also calls for a systematic review of the Seattle Police Department’s practices related to major crimes. As of now, it is unclear how many backlogged cases will be assigned to detectives. On another note, but on the same import, referrals from the Seattle Police Department to the King County Prosecutor’s Office have essentially slowed to a trickle this years. In fact, only 28 felony cases related to assault with sexual motivation, rape and attempted rape have been sent to the prosecutor’s office. That is significantly down from 89 referrals in 2021. Time will tell how the mayor’s executive order will affect these numbers moving forward.
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.
