A6
NEWS
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
Jury rejects murder charge Eastern Oregon leaders keep
an eye on campus incidents
By BRYCE DOLE
The Bulletin
BEND — Ian Mackenzie
Cranston was found not guilty
of second-degree murder but
guilty of fi rst-degree manslaugh-
ter in the shooting death of Barry
Washington Jr., an unarmed
Black man, in downtown Bend
last year.
A 12-person jury in Deschutes
County Circuit Court returned
the verdict Wednesday, bringing
an end to one of the most highly
anticipated tri-
als the county
has seen in
years.
The jury
also
found
Cranston
guilty on lesser
Barry
charges of sec-
Washington
Jr.
ond-degree
manslaughter,
assault and the unlawful use of a
weapon.
The jury of six men and six
women, all of whom are white,
began deliberations Tuesday
afternoon and returned with its
decision nearly 24 hours later.
Cranston, 28, of Redmond,
said he acted in self-defense
when he shot and killed Wash-
ington, 22, during a fi ght between
them outside the Capitol Bar on
Sept. 19, 2021.
The fi ght erupted after Wash-
ington complimented Cranston’s
fi ancee, Allison Butler, outside
the bar. Washington punched
Cranston twice and his friend,
Tyler Smith, once after a shout-
ing match. Cranston then pulled
out his handgun, stood for 30
seconds, took aim and fi red.
The shooting sparked protests
across Bend and made headlines
across the country due to racial
tensions surrounding the case.
When the verdict was read by
Judge Beth Bagley on Wednes-
day, Cranston looked straight
ahead, showing little emotion.
Behind him, his loved ones
stared straight ahead before some
cried into their hands.
Washington’s
mother,
La’Wanda Roberson, was shak-
ing nervously as she sat in the
courtroom, steeling herself for
the verdict. Prayers were uttered
among family members with
her. When Bagley read the jury’s
decision, Roberson and her loved
ones began to weep.
“Hopefully this is something
By ANDREW CUTLER
The Observer
Dean Guernsey/The Bulletin
La’Wanda Roberson, Barry Washington Jr.’s mother, reacts
Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, to the jury’s verdict fi nding Ian Crans-
ton guilty of fi rst-degree manslaughter in Washington’s death.
that will bring a little bit of clo-
sure,” Roberson told a crowd
outside the courthouse. “I know
that for the jurors, this was a
hard case. I’m happy that they
didn’t side with the self-defense
and they seen the truth. I’m just
happy to have some sort of jus-
tice for my son.”
Roberson said that experienc-
ing the trial was diffi cult and that
she was surprised by the jury’s
decision.
“I just didn’t have any trust
in the justice system in Oregon,
I’m going to be honest,” she said.
“But I did believe in God and I
did trust him.”
Kevin Sali and John Robb,
Cranston’s defense team, said
they planned to appeal the verdict
but declined to comment further.
The mood outside the court-
house was somber but celebratory
and led to a chant-fi lled march to
the Capitol Bar after the verdict.
Deja Tillman, Washington’s
23-year-old cousin, sat through
practically the entire trial and
seldom left the courtroom. On
Wednesday, she took a moment
at the site of her loved one’s death
near the Capitol Bar to share her
memories of Washington. Losing
her cousin was one of the worst
experiences of her life, she said.
“I’ve been with him since
diapers,” Tillman said, her voice
cracking as she cried. “I’ve been
with him in Easter baskets. I’ve
been with him since the fi rst day
of us being able to come home
together.”
The trial was full of dramatic
moments, including Cranston’s
decision to take the stand. He tes-
tifi ed that he feared Washington
wouldn’t leave he and his friends
alone and that he had to shoot to
stop his punches. Cranston said
he rendered aid to Washington
after the shot because he didn’t
want him to die.
But in a searing closing argu-
ment on Tuesday, prosecutors
J. Michael Swart and Brooks
McClain sought to dismantle
that claim piece by piece.
They argued Cranston used
disproportionate force and was
being reckless for mixing guns
and alcohol. Swart showed that
Cranston held onto a cigarette
during the entire fi ght outside the
bar and took a drag after shoot-
ing Washington. Swart argued it
was evidence that Cranston did
not fear for his safety during the
fi ght and was not legally jus-
tifi ed in using deadly force to
defend himself.
Deschutes County District
Attorney John Hummel told
The Bulletin Wednesday that the
closing arguments were pivotal
to the verdict.
“His closing argument
showed why I hired him,” Hum-
mel said of Swart, who declined
to comment after the verdict. “I
don’t know if we could have
won this case without Mike
Swart.”
Hummel said he was happy
for Washington’s family but had
sympathy for Cranston’s loved
ones. In addition, he spoke to the
broader implications of the ver-
dict for the city of Bend.
“Many people said they didn’t
think Bend could hold Cranston
accountable because Barry was
Black and Ian is white,” Hum-
mel said. “Our town said: We’re
going to lead with the facts and
the law and they delivered a ver-
dict for justice and I couldn’t feel
better about it.”
Preparation and prevention
The Clery Act is a federal law requir-
ing all universities to report serious inci-
LA GRANDE — A pair of recent killings dents on campus, from underage drinking
on or near college campuses have hit close to to sexual assault, Seydel explained, and
home for Eastern Oregon University leaders. EOU reviews all of those occurrences at
Four University of Idaho students were least annually.
“We go through and look at every-
found dead in a rental house near the Mos-
cow, Idaho, campus, and a 22-year-old Uni- thing, and we test our systems on a regu-
versity of Virginia student is suspected of lar basis,” he said. “And then every couple
killing three football players and wound- years we sit down and do an intentional
ing two other people as they returned by bus walkthrough of a scenario and literally
from a fi eld trip. Both acts of violence appear go through if we had an emergency take
place, what would we do?”
to have occurred Sunday, Nov. 13.
Those scenarios are not just
“It is hard to imagine the pain
about violence, for example, Sey-
and loss those university com-
del said, but also for a fire or
munities are experiencing,” Lacy
flood and other events that require
Karpilo, vice president for student
responses that have long-term
aff airs at EOU, said.
implications for the university.
Police in Moscow, Idaho, say
“So if one of our buildings or
they have not identifi ed a suspect
Seydel
one of our residence halls caught
or found a weapon in the weekend
on fire or something, or one of
slayings. Police continue to believe
our academic buildings was dam-
the attack was targeted but have
aged somehow, how do you man-
walked back a previous statement
age around that?” he said. “Where
that there was no threat to the pub-
would you have classes at? Where
lic. Autopsies have been completed
would the people who had offices
and the results show that all of the
in those buildings be relocated?”
students were stabbed to death.
Karpilo
When it comes to potential
“Investigators are working
on-campus violence, he noted
to follow up on all the leads and
identify a person of interest,” Moscow that easy and open access on university,
Police Chief James Fry said at a news con- community college and school campuses,
ference. “We do not have a suspect at this including EOU, is changing, with a move
time, and that individual is still out there. toward using key card access and simi-
We cannot say that there is no threat to the lar measures to make it more difficult to
access buildings.
community.”
“They put some protocols in place that,
In the University of Virginia attack, a
prosecutor says a witness told police the while inconvenient, made sense,” Seydel
student suspected of opening fi re on fel- said.
low students targeted specifi c victims.
The reality
“Anytime those happen at a national
Seydel said Eastern Oregon Univer-
level, or anywhere related to colleges and
universities, it always sparks a conver- sity through the years has had situations
sation for us internally to be aware,” said where there were “credible threats,”
Eastern Oregon Vice President for Univer- including one case that involved a stu-
dent who had some behavioral mental
sity Advancement Tim Seydel.
Seydel said university leadership is health issues.
When that happened, Seydel said,
always reminding staff to watch for others
— whether faculty, staff or students — who EOU staff alerted the La Grande Police
Department, which brought in “all kinds
might be showing signs of distress.
“We oftentimes get questions about of other resources to get the evaluation”
what we should be looking for. What are as well as the Oregon State Police.
“Usually, a lot of times you see these
the issues there?” he said. “And while you
can never predict that, we always encour- things and there’s a history there when
age people to reach out. Particularly if you they’re making the threats,” he said.
What’s more worrisome is “when
see students having diffi culty. If you see
something, say something, that kind of an they don’t have the history and we have
no knowledge of it beforehand,” he said.
approach.”
“That’s the scary part,” Seydel said.
Seydel added that all threats at EOU are
taken seriously and immediately reported “That’s the part that should give us all
concern, can somebody just walk into
to the La Grande Police Department.
“And again, the important thing — if the university, well, any one of our
somebody makes a threat, it’s important to buildings or into a school or any public
track that down and fi nd out what the heck’s space and do some real damage? I mean,
we all live with that fear.”
going on,” he said.
MT. VERNON
PRESBYTERIAN
Community Church
SUNDAY SERVICE..............9 am
SUNDAY SERVICE..9 am
541-932-4800
EVERYONE WELCOME
Redeemer
Lutheran Church
Come Worship with us at
627 SE Hillcrest, John Day
2 Corinthians 5:17
Every Sunday in the L.C.
Community Center
(Corner of Second & Allen)
Contact Pastor Ed Studtmann at
541-421-3888 • Begins at 4:00pm
Grace Chapel (EMC )
154 E. Williams St.
Prairie City, Oregon
541 820-4437
Pastor Robert Perkins
Sunday School (all ages)
9:30-10:30
Sunday Worship
10:45-12:00
John Day Valley
Mennonite
Church
Meeting every Sunday
at Mt. Vernon Grange Hall
Sunday School ................................ 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Morning Worship ............. 10:50 a.m.
Pastor Leland Smucker
Everyone Welcome • 541-932-2861
1 st Sunday Worship/Communion ...................10am
3 rd Sunday Worship/Communion/Potluck.....4:30pm
2 nd , 4 th & 5 th Sunday Worship..........................10am
Sunday Bible Study .....................................8:45am
24/7 Inspirational Christian
Broadcasting
Tune into KSPL 98.1 FM
For information: 541-575-2348
For more information,
call 541 620-0340
CHURCH OF THE
The John Day
NAZARENE
Sunday School ............................9:30 am
Sunday Worship Service.......... 10:45 am
Sunday Evening Service............ 6:00 pm
Children & Teen Activities
SMALL GROUPS CALL FOR MORE INFO
Weekdays: Sonshine Christian Schoo l
Pastor Randy Johnson
521 E. Main • John Day • 541-575-1895
www.johndaynazarene.com
Seventh-day
Adventist Church
110 NW Valley View Dr,
John Day, OR 97845
St. Thomas
Episcopal
Church
Join us on Facebook
live Sunday 10am
Like us on Facebook!
59357 Hwy 26 Mt. Vernon
Celebration of Worship
Sundays 5:30pm
Youth: 0-6th Grade
(541) 575-1216
Pastor Monte Wood
661-742-3635 (cell)
Midweek Service
www.johndayor.adventistchurch.org
Follow us on Facebook
Service Times; Saturday, Breakfast 9:30,
Sabbath School 10:00, Church 11:00
Jr./Sr. High
Youth Connection
Thursdays 6:30pm
Youth: 0-6th Grade
Wednesdays at 6:30pm
Overcomer’s Outreach
Mondays at 6pm at
LWCC
A Christ-Centered, 12-Step
Recovery Support Group
Pastor Sharon Miller
541-932-4910
www.livingwordcc.com
JOHN DAY
UNITED
METHODIST
CHURCH
FIRST CHRISTIAN
CHURCH
johndayUMC@gmail.com
126 NW Canton, John Day
Food Pantry Friday 3-4PM
Sunday School ..................... 9:45 am
Sunday Worship ...................... 11 am
Fox Community Church............. 3 pm
Sunday Evening Bible Talk......... 6 pm
Saturday Men’s Study ............... 6 pm
Like us on Facebook!
Full Gospel- Come Grow With Us
Sunday Worship • 9AM
(541) 575-1326
541-575-1202 Church
311 NE Dayton St, John Day
Pastor Al Altnow