High Court Turns Down Appeal from Seattle Police Officers Linked to January 6th Incident
Yo! Here's the lowdown:
The four Seattle cops who hitched a ride to the controversial Jan. 6, 2021, "Stop the Steal" rally in D.C. have hit a roadblock in their quest for anonymity, as the U.S. Supreme Court has basically told 'em to fess up and use their real names in court.
These officers brought a lawsuit against their own department, back in 2017, identifying themselves as "John Does 1-4." They were none too pleased about the idea of their names and details from an internal investigation into their attendance at the hostile rally being made public.
Their case made its way through the Washington Supreme Court, where justices unanimously ruled that they shouldn't hide behind pseudonyms in court proceedings. Then, in April, these tactical neds tried to make their case to the big leagues (also known as the Supreme Court of the United States), arguing that exposing their identities would do them some serious dirt and violate their First Amendment rights.
On Wednesday, Justice Samuel Alito penned a statement, essentially telling them to suck it up, buttercup, and deal with the consequences. In his statement, Alito noted that the officers hadn't adequately justified why they were still in danger and why their First Amendment rights were being violated.
In response, an attorney for defendant Sam Sueoka, who sought the department's investigation records, filed a motion in King County Superior Court to change the case title to reflect the officers' legal names instead of their pseudonyms. Sueoka also requested exhibits containing publicly sourced documents identifying the officers be unsealed.
A Seattle Police Department investigation made by the civilian-run office of police accountability concluded that these officers didn't break any laws or department policies. However, two other officers, Alexander Everett and Caitlin Rochelle Everett, were axed from the force for trespassing onto restricted grounds and standing by during the January 6 riot.
The state Supreme Court decision didn't sit well with the officers and their attorneys, who argued that exposing their off-duty political activities would lead to "vilification." Washington Supreme Court justices countered that the officers hadn't cited any applicable exemptions to the state's Public Records Act and hadn't shown how their privacy rights trumped the public's right to know.
Related:
- WA Proud Boys leader joins $100M lawsuit against DOJ over Jan. 6 case
- WA Supreme Court says SPD officers who attended Jan. 6 rally can be identified
- Seattle police chief fires officers he says trespassed and stood by during 'violent, criminal' Jan. 6 riot at U.S. Capitol
Sources:
[1] King County Superior Court filings[2] Caseno[3] Washington Supreme Court decision
- The ongoing politics of Seattle's police force and their attendance at the January 6, 2021, "Stop the Steal" rally is intertwined with general news, as the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld a ruling that requires the officers to use their real names in court proceedings, overruling their pseudonyms.
- In the realm of policy-and-legislation, the Washington Supreme Court's decision to allow the public identification of the Seattle officers who attended the controversial rally has prompted an ongoing debate about the balance between privacy rights and the public's right to know.
- Crime-and-justice and politics collide in Seattle, as two officers, Alexander Everett and Caitlin Rochelle Everett, were terminated from the force for trespassing and standing by during the January 6 riot, while four other officers are facing public scrutiny for their involvement in the rally.
- Additionally, the issue of Seattle's police force's off-duty political activities, which came to light through the officers' attendance at the January 6 rally, is now a central focus of the Washington Proud Boys leader's $100M lawsuit against the Department of Justice.
