Charleena Lyles was murdered on June 18th, 2017 by Officers Jason Anderson and Steven McNew from the Seattle Police Department. She was 30 years old and pregnant when she was shot. The cities of Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and Auburn have filed lawsuits against King County which prevent an inquest into what actually happened when Lyles was killed. 

ACTION

Today’s action is to email the cities of Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and Auburn to demand they withdraw the lawsuit that destroys King County’s inquest process. Please also share with friends who live in these cities and ask them to contact their city government

• Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus [email protected]

• King County Executive Dow Constantine [email protected]

• Federal Way Mayor Jim Ferrell [email protected]

• Kent Mayor Dana Ralph [email protected]

• King County Sheriff Mitzi Johanknecht [email protected]

• Renton Mayor Armando Pavone [email protected]

Script

“To Mayor Backus, Mayor Ferrell, Mayor Ralph, Mayor Pavone, Sheriff Johanknecht, and Executive Constantine,

I am emailing to voice my support for the following community requests:

1. Withdraw your lawsuit that seeks to destroy King County’s inquest process which is our community’s best tool for public assessment of police use of deadly force;

2. Cease your attempts to shield officers who have killed community members from testifying under oath; and

3. Cease your attempts to block the inquest jury from determining whether an officers use of deadly force may have been criminal conduct.

I hope you will join the community on the right side of history.”

Background 

List of demands from the family of Charleena Lyles
https://www.facebook.com/events/256243055440977/

Seattle Times report on the Charleena Lyles Remembrance Vigil
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/hundreds-gather-to-remember-charleena-lyles-a-black-woman-killed-by-seattle-police-in-2017-amid-growing-movement-against-police-violence/

Seattle Weekly report on Kent, Renton, Federal Way, and Auburn’s legal opposition to officer-involved deaths
https://www.seattleweekly.com/news/county-executive-wants-cities-to-drop-opposition-to-revised-officer-involved-shooting-inquests/

Nikkita Oliver’s post urging for community support to drop the lawsuit
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10100899902505390

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 1st Seattle Indivisible Monthly Meeting: Defund the Police
https://www.facebook.com/events/1141010939588843/

June 28th March for Accountability: Defund SPD & Reinvest in Communities!
https://www.facebook.com/events/855913214917518/

Jun 27th #SayHerName Protect Black Women March
https://everout.thestranger.com/events/sayhername-protect-black-women-march/e31516/