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WWW . THESKANNER . COM J UNE 20 , 2012 S EATTLE , W ASHINGTON V OLUME XXXIV, N O . 25 25 CENTS For The Skanner news alerts Text "NEWS" to 503-715-0890 or scan this QR code C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW GRADUATION Tsunami Debris Danger Governor: federal help needed with Japanese flotsam PHOTO BY JULIE KEEFE By Rachel La Corte The Associated Press Students from Chief Sealth High School celebrate at their graduation ceremony Saturday, June 16, at Memorial Stadium. Public Defenders Overworked State Supreme Court sets news standards for indigents’ attorneys By Gene Johnson The Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — For the first time, Washington’s Supreme Court is setting limits on the number of cases that pub- lic defenders can handle — an effort to improve the quality of legal representation for some of the 200,000 poor people prose- cuted in the state every year, but one that could increase costs to local governments at a time of tight budgets. By a vote of 7-2, the justices said lawyers who represent indi- gent defendants generally should handle no more than 150 felony cases per year or 300 to 400 misdemeanor cases, and even fewer when the cases are complex. The caseload stan- dards will take effect in Septem- ber 2013 to avoid imminent hits to local budgets, Chief Justice Barbara Madsen said in announcing them Friday. ``Innocent people are convict- ed if they don’t have an ade- quate defense,’’ said Joanne Moore, director of the state’s INDEX News ...........................2 Calendar ....................2 A&E .............................4 Bids/Classifieds............3 Office of Public Defense. ``There’s been a lot of informa- tion in the past few years that many attorneys who are provid- ing public defense are burdened by very high caseloads, and they haven’t been able to give the proper amount of attention to their public defense cases.’’ The high court also took another step Friday to help peo- ple who can’t afford legal help, adopting a rule that allows non- lawyers with certain levels of training to give legal advice in civil matters, such as selecting and completing court forms, and reviewing and explaining plead- ings. Recent lawsuits in Washing- ton have highlighted the prob- lem with public defender caseloads. The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington is suing the cities of Burlington and Mount Vernon, saying that those cities jointly contracted with two part-time lawyers to repre- sent indigent defendants in mis- demeanor cases. See LAWYERS on page 3 OCEAN SHORES, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire announced Monday a state plan to address tsunami debris that reaches the state’s coast from Japan but stressed that federal help is need- ed. ``We don’t have the resources at the state level to do what we’re going to have to do here,’’ she said at a news conference at a beachside hotel in Ocean Shores. Gregoire said she and other western states have reached out to the federal government letting officials know that they will be seek- ing financial assistance, but so far have not received a response. She said the state is working with U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell in trying to secure funds. Gregoire noted that the Department of Ecology has been approved to use $100,000 from its litter cleanup account for tsunami debris removal. However, a ``steady drib- ble’’ of tsunami debris is expected over the next few years that will require more money, though she said the cost of the cleanup is unknown. ``We are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep our beaches and our coastal com- munities clean and safe,’’ she said. Gregoire announced a ``Clean Shoreline Initiative’’ to be led by state’s top emer- gency management leader Maj. Gen. Timo- thy Lowenberg, and to include the state Department of Health, Ecology and other agencies. ``Everyone will be part of the solution,’’ Lowenberg said. Gregoire said the debris is not yet at a level where she needs to call out the Nation- al Guard or seek money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. ``We really don’t know what to expect right now,’’ she said. ``I can’t declare an emergency until I actually have one on my hands.’’ See DEBRIS on page 2 2006 Otto Zehm Shooting Settlement Spokane mayor apologizes for police killing of disabled man By Nicholas K. Geranios The Associated Press SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Six years after Otto Zehm died at the hands of Spokane police, Mayor David Condon has delivered a hand-written letter of apology to Zehm’s mother. Condon met with Ann Zehm, 84, last week to deliver his letter. ``You, and our community, waited for too long for resolution in this matter,’’ the letter said. ``For me, blame was clearly misplaced in this case, and I fear that compounded the pain for you and many others.’’ Otto Zehm, who was white, was 36 in 2006 after he was mistakenly accused of theft and beaten, hog-tied and Tasered by police in a convenience store. Zehm, a men- tally disabled janitor who had committed no crime, died two days later without regaining consciousness. The Zehm case reverberated through city politics for years. It was a factor in Con- don’s victory last year over Mayor Mary Verner, and several city officials tied to the case have been fired. The written apology was part of a mediat- See SHOOTING on page 2
