On Tuesday, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg announced that he will not file charges against the officers involved in the killing of Che Taylor. Taylor was fatally shot by Seattle Police officers last February in North Seattle.
Satterberg said his decision was based on an inquest jury’s finding that the officers acted in good faith and had perceived their lives were in danger when they encountered Taylor, who they alleged was armed at the time.
Last month, an inquest jury found that the officer involved, Michael Spaulding and Scott Miller, believed that Taylor posed a threat of death or serious injuries to the officers before he was shot.
According to testimony, the officers were conducting an undercover operation in search of another man when Taylor arrived in a car. The officers said that they recognized Taylor and were aware of his past criminal history.
A video of the event, released by the Seattle Police Department, does not provide a clear view of Taylor during the final seconds of the incident. The officers claim that Taylor was reaching for a gun when the shot him. However, Taylor’s family and some community leaders don’t believe that Taylor had a gun or posed a threat to the officers.
According to Satterberg, there was not enough evidence to support filing charges against the officers.
“In order to prosecute Seattle Police Officers Miller or Spaulding for any degree of Homicide arising from the shooting death of Che Taylor, the State would have to disprove that the homicide was legally justified as well as the police officer good faith exception,” read the statement.
“In light of the investigative materials, the video evidence, the testimony of the witnesses at the inquest and the jurors’ answers to the court’s interrogatories, there is insufficient evidence to overcome this complete defense as defined by the statute. As a result, we decline to file any criminal charges,” Satterberg concluded.
The Seattle King County NAACP issued a statement after Satterberg’s announcement.
“We are deeply disappointed that the officers responsible for the shooting death of Che Taylor will not be held accountable, but we can’t say that we’re surprised,” read the statement.
“This is not simply about the senseless death of Che Taylor,” the statement continued. “It’s about fixing our criminal justice system so that it actually makes our communities safer, instead of leaving people of color vulnerable to police brutality and excessive use of force.”
