Dori: Prolific offenders now costing taxpayers in form of lawsuits

I told you that our region’s revolving door of justice and prolific offenders were going to end up costing the taxpayers big-time. We might be seeing the beginning of that right now.

You may remember, three years ago, there was a couple up here from Oregon who were at Westlake Center, planning to enjoy a Mariners game later in the day. All of a sudden, a man who had been released from custody without a sufficient mental evaluation randomly attacked them with a baseball bat.

As the man and the woman told KIRO 7 TV, the attacker followed them down the street and then roundhouse hit the husband in the face, shattering his jaw and sending him to the ground. Both the man and the woman required surgery and neurological rehabilitation.

Can you imagine? You have a nice couple from Portland in their 50s or 60s who decide to go support to their neighbors to the north, do a little shopping downtown Seattle, and then go watch a Mariners game. And then out of nowhere in the middle of the afternoon, a guy who had just been released from jail turns their world upside-down.

Visiting convention members too scared to return to Seattle

Thankfully, the bat-wielding attacker is in jail, but let me tell you about him — another of this area’s prolific offenders. He has a 25-year-long rap sheet, with felony convictions for third-degree assault and harassment. He also has quite a few misdemeanors. He has a long mental health history as well, but, as I told you, was released from jail without a sufficient mental health evaluation.

Now they are suing Seattle and King County because the city and county failed to protect the public. They failed to protect tourists.

Think about that — we actively encourage tourists to come visit us here. And then our politicians’ negligence leads to grievous injuries for the very people we attracted to come visit.

Of course, the city and county should be held liable. The shame is that you and I have to pay the cost of the local government’s incompetence with this suit.

More stories like this: 

Tourist from Arizona attacked at Space Needle

Westlake Park knife attack latest catch-and-release case

Repeat offender tries to stab woman with pitchfork at Ballard Post Office

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from 12-3 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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