Brother of man killed by Seattle cop on new police committee

King County could make changes to the way it handles inquests into shootings and other deaths at the hands of police.

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King County Executive Dow Constantine announced a new six-member committee Tuesday that will look at whether changes are needed.

Among the possible changes are whether families of those killed by police should be provided lawyers using public money, as officers are, and whether those attorneys should have a larger role in presenting information to inquest juries.

The committee could also look at whether having county prosecutors handle inquests is a conflict because they decide whether to charge officers in deadly force cases and defend the county against any lawsuits.

Inquests don’t determine criminal or civil liability, but almost always the six-member juries come up with conclusions seen as supportive of police. That’s led to criticism.

Among the members of the new six-member committee, Rick Williams, whose brother John T. Williams was shot and killed by a Seattle Police officer in 2010. A King County judge, retired sheriff’s deputy, and the former civilian director of the Seattle Police Department’s Office of Police Accountability are some of the other committee members.

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