A Washington state police officer was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for killing a man during an attempted arrest in 2019, under a state law that made it easier to prosecute officers for using deadly force. solidified the first conviction.
Officer Jeffrey Nelson was found guilty of first-degree murder and first-degree assault for fatally shooting 26-year-old Jesse Salley in June. Officer Nelson was charged with murder and assault in August 2020, according to a news release from the prosecutor's office.
This is the first ruling under Initiative 940, a legal reform overwhelmingly approved by Washington voters in 2018. The initiative loosened the standards required to criminally prosecute police officers for using deadly force.
Before the legal change, prosecutors had to prove the officer acted with malice. Under the reforms, jurors must decide whether an officer's actions were reasonable. Officer Nelson was the first police officer to be charged by King County prosecutors under the law in August 2020.
“The King County jury found that Officer Nelson's actions did not exceed the law,” King County Prosecutor Leesa Mannion said in a statement Thursday. “We have always known how impactful this case is for those involved and the community at large.”
Mr Salley's mother and brother also died before he was sentenced in June. Elaine Simons, who was the brothers' foster parent, told the New York Times in June that the conviction “sets a precedent that officers are not above the law.”
Emma Scanlan, an attorney for Officer Nelson's defense team, said in an email to the Times on Thursday that the officer and his defense team “regret the loss of Jesse Salley's life.” But she said the case was “marred by serious and unprecedented legal errors that deprived Officer Nelson of his constitutional rights” and that his legal team was charmed.
Auburn police did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
Officer Nelson has been placed on unpaid administrative leave since his conviction in June. He was under a formal review process that was suspended during the hearing but has since resumed, according to an Auburn city spokesperson.
His case was the second to go to trial under the new law. Last year, three Tacoma police officers were acquitted in the death of Manuel Ellis, a Black man who died in police custody. Officer received $500,000 to resign from Tacoma Police Department.
Alexandra E. Petri Contributed report.
