Free Republic

Officer Ian Birk shot John T. Williams last August after the Native American woodcarver crossed the street in front of Birk's patrol car while holding a piece of wood and a small knife. Birk later maintained Williams had threatened him… (MadHatters described the event: Williams, crossed an intersection where Officer Birk sat in his car. Birk saw Williams was carrying a lump of wood and a knife, got out of his car and called on Williams to drop the knife. When Williams didn’t comply Birk fired 5 rapid shots striking Williams in the side and back, killing him. http://madhatters.me.uk/2011/05/30/john-t-williams-family-offered-1-5-million/) The...

SEATTLE - The city of Seattle has reached a $1.5 million settlement of claims brought by the family of slain woodcarver John T. Williams, who was shot dead by Seattle Police Officer Ian Birk last August. The settlement was reached after a mediation involving representatives of the John T. Williams estate, Williams’ mother and the city. The Williams family, which earlier failed in its attempts to get criminal charges filed against Birk, expressed relief that the matter could be resolved early without extended and costly litigation. "This is one step towards justice, but it is only a step. Nothing can...

SEATTLE -- Dozens of protestors marched on the streets on Friday, calling for justice in the fatal shooting of Native American woodcarver John T. Williams. The crowd gathered at Westlake Center, then soon took to the streets in protest of King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg's decision not to file criminal charges against Ian Birk, a former Seattle police officer. But what started out as a peaceful protests with signs and slogans quickly boiled over as protestors clashed with police, prompting some officers to use pepper spray on the crowd. Marchers smashed the back window of a police cruiser as tensions...

King County prosecutors have decided not to file criminal charges against Seattle police Officer Ian Birk in the fatal shooting of woodcarver John T. Williams, according to sources familiar with the decision. Prosecutors have been confronted with a steep legal hurdle in deciding whether to charge Birk with murder or manslaughter. State law shields police officers from criminal prosecution when they claim they used deadly force in self-defense, unless it can be shown they acted with malice and a lack of good faith.