Seattle Court Entrance Closed After Violent Attacks
Source: Courthouse News Service
December 3, 2019 JUNE WILLIAMS
SEATTLE (CN) – Citing “constant reports of assaults,” Presiding Judge James Rogers closed the main entrance to the King County Courthouse in Seattle Tuesday.
The closure will remain in place until Jan. 1 to give officials time to address new security plans.
“The safety conditions at the Third Avenue entrance to the courthouse have deteriorated, jeopardizing the public safety of any attempting to enter or leave,” the judge’s order states. “This Court receives constant reports of assault committed against litigants, jurors, attorneys, members of the public, and employees. The safety conditions of the fact of discouraging and denying access and therefore justice to all who would seek it from the Court. It discourages jury service.”
The closure comes one week after a defense attorney’s brutal attack was caught on tape by the court’s security camera. Footage showed a man punch the attorney in the back of his head, throw him into a fire hydrant and onto the street. The man also punched a city bus driver who ran to help the attorney before a deputy exited the courthouse and subdued the assailant with a Taser.
Read more: https://www.courthousenews.com/seattle-court-entrance-closed-after-violent-attacks/
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