Law And Courts

Crime

Ex-Auburn cop gets nearly 17 years in prison for 2019 murder of Jessey Sarey

A former Seattle-area cop found guilty of murder was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison on Thursday. Jeffrey Nelson, 46, was convicted in June of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the 2019 killing of 26-year-old Jesse Sarey.

Politics

Seattle judge temporarily blocks Trump executive order on birthright citizenship

A federal judge in Seattle temporarily blocked an executive order from the president that sought to end birthright citizenship.

Law & Courts

Tacoma ICE center ordered to pay detainee workers Washington’s minimum wage, $23 million in arrears

A federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that people held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center must be paid the state’s minimum wage for doing any work around the facility.

Adams County violated Washington's sanctuary laws by cooperating with Border Patrol, lawsuit alleges

The Adams County Sheriff's and Prosecuting Attorney’s offices in Eastern Washington are being sued for allegedly breaking the state’s sanctuary laws and subjecting a man to discrimination and false arrest.

Law & Courts

Auburn cop convicted of murder won’t get new trial, judge rules

A Seattle-area cop found guilty of murder won't get a retrial, a King County Superior Court judge ruled on Friday. Auburn police officer Jeffrey Nelson, 46, was convicted in June of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the 2019 killing of 26-year-old Jesse Sarey.

Law & Courts

Washington families seek jail improvements, one settlement at a time

In a new legal settlement finalized Dec. 4, commissioners for Klickitat County in south-central Washington have committed to broad changes intended to improve medical care in jail and prevent suicides.

Politics

Washington voters approved a natural gas initiative. Lawsuit wants to blow it up

Activists say the initiative misled voters. Backers say this lawsuit subverts the voters' will.

Law & Courts

Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies

A major U.S. Supreme Court decision this summer was hailed as a conservative court’s broadside against a Democratic administration, giving red states more backing to delay or overturn policies they don’t like, such as transgender protections and clean energy goals.

Race & Identity

Seattle area immigration advocates take stock for second Trump administration

Immigration advocates in King County have been preparing for months for a potential legal fight with the federal government. A second Trump administration is set to take control of the White House in January, and with it comes promises of far-reaching changes to immigration policy.

Law & Courts

15-year-old accused of killing his Fall City family tried to frame brother, investigators say

Investigators with the King County Sheriff’s Office accuse a 15-year-old juvenile of shooting everyone in his immediate family at their home in Fall City on Monday, killing five out of six family members. They say the teen also attempted to “stage” the scene and blame his 13-year-old brother, telling dispatchers that the 13-year-old had fired on others and then committed suicide.