State to pay $3 million to families of Salkum murder victims

By Stephanie Schendel | The Daily News The state has agreed to pay a $3 million settlement to the families of the victims in the 2010 Salkum-area triple-homicide, which was committed by an ex-convict who was supposed to be under strict state supervision. Department of Corrections supervision of John Allen Booth Jr. and accomplice Ryan J. McCarthy was horribly lax, … Read More

Lawsuit: Kids left in ‘house of horrors’ for years despite complaints to state

By Levi Pulkkinen | The Seattle PI Six children left to be brutally abused by a Federal Way-area woman described as a “sadist” in court documents have sued the state, claiming child services failed to act after more than a dozen abuse complaints. Maria Gonzales Esquivel – the 47-year-old accused of abusing the children herself and forcing them to abuse … Read More

Sex assault victim gets $1.5 million in Oak Harbor pool lawsuit

By JESSIE STENSLAND | Whidbey News-Times A past member of the Aquajets swim team who was sexually assaulted by a former swim coach in the 1990s won a $1.5 million settlement from North Whidbey Park and Recreation District. In addition, another alleged victim has filed a lawsuit and a third has hired an attorney. “My sense is that other girls … Read More

$1.5M settlement in woman’s claim of 1990s sex abuse by swim coach

By JENNIFER SULLIVAN | The Seattle Times A 29-year-old King County woman who said that her coach molested her while she was on an Oak Harbor swim team nearly 18 years ago will receive a $1.5 million settlement from the North Whidbey Park and Recreation District to compensate for the abuse, according to her lawyers. Andrew King, 64, is serving … Read More

$1M verdict against Bainbridge in fatal shooting of mentally ill man

By JONATHAN MARTIN and KEN ARMSTRONG | The Seattle Times A federal jury awarded $1 million Friday to the family of a mentally ill man who was killed by a Bainbridge Island police officer, ending a case that has roiled the island for nearly two years. After three days of deliberation, the eight-member jury faulted Bainbridge and its police chief … Read More

Ostling family satisfied with verdict in civil rights case

By BRIAN KELLY |Bainbridge Island Review TACOMA — The Ostling family said they were satisfied with a jury’s verdict Friday that awarded the family $1 million in damages in their civil rights lawsuit against the city of Bainbridge Island. William and Joyce Ostling filed a lawsuit against Bainbridge Island, Police Officer Jeff Benkert and Police Chief Jon Fehlman last year, … Read More

Federal Way loses appeal over officer’s actions

By Steve Maynard | The News Tribune The state Court of Appeals on Monday upheld a jury’s verdict that the City of Federal Way was negligent because its police officer failed to enforce an anti-harassment protection order, resulting in the death of a woman at the hands of her live-in boyfriend in 2008. The city had appealed a jury’s award in … Read More

Pierce County to pay $850,000 to 3 Washam employees

By Sean Robinson | The News Tribune Legal bills tied to Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Dale Washam tripled Tuesday. County leaders settled a trio of claims for damages filed by current and former Washam employees. The collective payout: $850,000. The employees had originally sought a collective $3.5 million. The settlements announced Tuesday involved the following employees and amounts: Sally Barnes, former administrative … Read More