Rantz: Seattle judge slapped in the face, but refused to report assault to police

A King County Superior Court docket decide was assaulted by a person well-known to Seattle police, however he initially refused to report the crime. That ensured the harmful legal would keep on the streets to assault new victims. Maybe it’s why the King County Govt’s Workplace intervened.

The unidentified suspect allegedly slapped King County Superior Court docket Decide Michael Scott within the face on the county courthouse Monday morning round 9:30 a.m. However the decide didn’t need to be recognized as a sufferer. The truth is, it seems he by no means known as 911 to report the crime. As a substitute, King County safety flagged the incident for the Seattle Police Division.

It’s unclear if the suspect knew the sufferer was a decide.

After police spoke with the safety workers, in keeping with the police incident report, Decide Scott emailed the responding officer to say that “he didn’t need to press expenses on the suspect until it benefitted legislation enforcement.” However that meant police wouldn’t be capable of make an arrest.

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This wasn’t the suspect’s first alleged assault of the day

The suspect, in keeping with a supply, has had repeated run-ins with police and could also be affected by psychological sickness. And police say the decide wasn’t the person’s solely sufferer that morning.

Earlier than the alleged assault in opposition to the decide, safety noticed the suspect in an “intoxicated” state. About two and a half hours later, the suspect “punched a random individual sitting on the aspect” of the road whereas strolling in the direction of the decide. The suspect finally slapped the decide within the face.

The decide initially described the assault as a “push or slap” to the face. The safety guard informed police he witnessed the assault by way of surveillance cameras.

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A decide’s harmful determination reversed

The decide initially refused to cooperate with Seattle police. However the responding officer documented the report anyway.

“This report is to doc the occasions of this assault/disturbances in case the decide, different staff, is focused by the identical suspect or in case the decide does need to pursue expenses for the assault,” the officer famous within the incident report.

It’s unclear why Decide Scott didn’t need to cooperate with the police, elevating many questions.

Did the decide not need the eye? Why not? Is that this decide a part of the explanation why individuals just like the suspect are out on the streets as a substitute of in jail or in remedy the place they could belong? Is he attempting to cover the town and county’s crime surge?

And what did the decide imply when he mentioned he’d report if it helped legislation enforcement? Decide Scott ought to know that police want a sufferer in an effort to make an arrest in a case like this.

Irrespective of the explanations, not calling 911 meant {that a} suspected legal would keep out on the streets and would virtually actually allegedly assault another person. This poses a transparent and apparent public security risk. Except there’s some legit motive to not report the alleged crime, it’s cheap to argue that Decide Scott has an ethical obligation to file a report to assist make sure the habits wouldn’t occur once more.

When requested to elucidate what occurred and why, Decide Scott, by his workplace, emailed the Jason Rantz Present on KTTH, “no remark.”

Govt Constantine’s workplace will get concerned

Ultimately, Decide Scott modified his thoughts.

The King County Govt’s Workplace confirmed to the Jason Rantz Present that the Deputy Govt intervened. After being notified by the Sheriff’s Workplace of the incident, sources say she requested that decide to report the crime to the police. It’s unclear why the sheriff’s workplace reached out to the manager’s workplace, however a supply speculates it was in order that police would have a extra strong case when making an arrest.

After the decide cooperated with the police, an investigation to trace the suspect down was launched. A supply says the suspect was arrested hours later. He has not but been charged.

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