November 13, 2009 - 1:41 am

Was SPD beating justified?

The videotaped beating of a 15 year old girl in a holding cell by a King County Sheriff's deputy supposedly inspired the murder of Officer Tim Brenton by Christopher Monfort.

In the wake of that tragedy, the Seattle Police Department finds itself in the midst of another controversy. The video shows three officers using fists, batons, a flashlight and a Taser to subdue a man at their Georgetown evidence unit.

Here's the backstory: The man is 46-year-old Daniel Macio Saunders. You may remember the incident in June when Saunders was found naked and covered in blood after allegedly breaking into a church in the Rainier Valley. Haz-mat crews had to be called out to clean up the church because Saunders has hepatitis-C.

Saunders was mistakenly released from jail four days later (how that can happen is beyond me). When he returned to the evidence unit to retrieve some personal property, the cops were there to re-arrest him.

The police say Saunders grabbed a screwdriver, tried to injure the officers, and continued to resist.

Saunders, of course, has an attorney and is considering a lawsuit.

I did not support the sheriff's deputy's violent takedown of the 15 year old girl. Last week, I went after state patrol troopers who used phony college degrees to get raises. I do not blindly support the cops. But I will tell you that I see nothing in this videotape that proves the officers did anything wrong.

Police officers can use escalating force to subdue a suspect. Saunders feet are flailing - it looks to me that he is resisting.

I'll go after bad cops when merited. But I would caution the media to not stir up anti-cop hatred with a distorted view of "facts". Two weeks ago, we saw that can have tragic consequences.