Disappointed

I found out yesterday that the three people, two men who were formerly members of the Seattle Fire Department and one woman, were found not guilty in the assault on a homeless man in Pioneer Square.

I’m disappointed by that verdict.

I was there that day. I know what I saw. I called 911.

I was in the courtroom, just before Thanksgiving, on the witness stand giving my accurate and truthful testimony.

It was a complex case that the King County prosecutor had declined to pursue, but Seattle’s City Attorney took up in defense of the homeless and less fortunate in Pioneer Square. There were many witnesses and days of testimony. I was on the stand for at least four hours answering questions from the prosecution and from the three defense attorneys just before Thanksgiving.

I was not in the jury room. I don’t know about the rest of the testimony they saw. I don’t know if they found the prosecution witnesses simply unbelievable or the defendants story credible. No matter what the reason enough “reasonable doubt” remained to lead the jury to declare a not guilty verdict.

It’s good for this case and for the city that it was taken to a public trial so that all the evidence could be put out for everyone to see. For that I’m glad.

However I know what I saw. I’m disappointed because while I have no doubt the verdict was legal, I am not quite sure it was just.