Jan. 7—The sister of Joshua Musselman, a 29-year-old man shot and killed by Spokane police on Dec. 29, has retained legal professional Rondi Thorp, who has beforehand represented the households of a number of different males in wrongful demise lawsuits in opposition to town of Spokane, together with one which resulted within the largest settlement of its form within the metropolis’s historical past.
Officers reportedly responded to the Northcliff Terrace Residences following experiences of a person firing “what gave the impression to be a rifle” from his condominium. It was the second time that day that officers responded to calls about Musselman.
Spokane police Chief Kevin Corridor stated at a information convention later that night time that officers addressed Musselman and “sooner or later in time, felt there was a menace.”
Corridor stated “as much as 4” officers fired their weapons, however he declined to elaborate on how the response escalated right into a use-of-force incident. It stays unclear whether or not Musselman was armed.
Anwar Peace, a commissioner for the Spokane Human Rights Fee and downstairs neighbor of Musselman, testified on the Spokane Metropolis Council Monday night time that Musselman was the topic of frequent complaints from neighbors and argued that regulation enforcement or behavioral well being service suppliers ought to have intervened previous to the lethal taking pictures on Dec. 29.
Musselman made headlines in July after Spokane cops arrested and charged him with tried car theft and first-degree malicious mischief stemming from an alleged tried theft of an ambulance in downtown Spokane.
Musselman had a protracted felony historical past, together with convictions for tried rape of a kid, assault, car prowling and malicious mischief, in accordance with court docket data.
Thorp has beforehand represented the households of David Novak, who was shot and killed by police in 2019. The town settled that case for $4 million however didn’t admit to wrongdoing. She additionally represents the property of Robert Bradley, who was shot and killed by police in 2022. Bradley’s fiancée, represented by a unique legal professional, obtained a $500,000 settlement Monday night time, whereas Bradley’s minor kids’s lawsuit stays pending earlier than a federal court docket.
Thorp stated in a short interview it was too quickly to find out whether or not a declare can be filed within the case of Musselman’s demise.
“We’re nonetheless investigating, however we now have issues that his rights had been violated,” Thorp stated. “So we’ll be investigating totally and figuring out what if any claims may be made.”
She argued that the Spokane Police Division has didn’t reform its practices in response to prior wrongful demise settlements and that investigations into police shootings within the area are “an absolute joke and embarrassment to good cops in every single place .”
The Spokane Police Division declined to touch upon pending litigation.
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