MYNORTHWEST NEWS

New $500,000 claim filed against Seattle Police Department

Feb 20, 2013, 3:28 PM | Updated: 4:23 pm

A still-frame taken from a Seattle Police Department video shows an officer threatening to punch a suspect in custody in a South precinct holding cell. (SPD image)

(SPD image)

Lawyers for a young man who claims he was assaulted by a Seattle Police officer then threatened several times in a jail holding cell by the same officer have filed a $500,000 claim against the Seattle Police Department.

Both of the incidents were captured on video.

The first incident happened as officers responded to reports of a drive-by shooting with a pellet gun last August in the 3700 block of South Othello in the Rainier Valley. The video shows officer Clayton Powell,51, a 19-year-veteran, getting into a heated exchange with a man appearing to provoke him. But Powell then gets into an argument with then 18-year-old Ismail Abdella and appears to shove him.

Powell claimed the man spit in his face, which would have justified the shoving as self-defense.

But Abdella’s attorney Christopher Carney says Powell then shoved, slapped and slammed Abdella’s head into a police car while he was handcuffed.

A subsequent video obtained by the Seattle Times shows Powell entering a holding cell at the South precinct and threatening to punch Abdella several times, which Carney argues is grounds for assault charges.

“The videos make it crystal clear that Officer Powell assaulted our client,” Carney says. “He [Abdella] was grabbed up and put into handcuffs and the police have never identified a specific charge of why he was arrested.”

Powell was placed on paid administrative leave and was ultimately assigned to a non-patrol job. Earlier this month, The Seattle Times reported Chief John Diaz sent a letter to City Attorney Pete Holmes for not taking action on potential charges against Powell three months after the case was first referred to his office.

“We are very hopeful that both the City Attorney’s office and the Seattle Police Department will hold him accountable for that and we certainly expect to hold him accountable in a civil lawsuit as well,” Carney says.

Carney says the tort claim is a mandatory precursor to a federal lawsuit, which he expects to file in 60 days.

A Seattle Police Department spokesman says the department cannot comment on pending litigation.

MyNorthwest News

Image: Brightly colored eggs are set on a table on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington,...

Ted Buehner

Expect good Easter weekend weather for egg hunts, chilly evening Mariners games

Both Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend will feature temperatures warming to around 60 degrees across much of Western Washington.

6 hours ago

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 20...

Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio and Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

Seattle tourism dollars break records following All-Star Week, Taylor Swift

It was a record-setting year for dollars flowing into Seattle from tourists.

8 hours ago

Image: A bridge in Carnation....

Julia Dallas

Carnation frustrated with Seattle again after 8th false emergency alarm induces widespread panic

Carnation citizens have faced a series of panic-inducing alarms after SPU's system for the Tolt Dam falsely sounded eight times.

9 hours ago

Grocery store shopper...

Bill Kaczaraba

Ways to deal with Seattle grocery store sticker shock

Seattle grocery store sticker shock continues to play havoc on locals, but there are ways to counter high prices.

9 hours ago

belltown hellcat social media...

Frank Sumrall

Infamous ‘Belltown Hellcat’ social media influencer charged with reckless driving

The social media influencer has been accused of driving 107 miles per hour through Belltown in a Dodge Hellcat.

10 hours ago

KIRO Newsradio gracie awards...

MyNorthwest Staff

KIRO Newsradio anchors receive Gracie Awards for outstanding work

Heather Bosch and Lisa Brooks, anchors at KIRO Newsradio, have been honored by the Alliance for Women in Media with prestigious Gracie Awards.

13 hours ago

New $500,000 claim filed against Seattle Police Department