Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   ADDITIONAL ITEMS • Deputy prosecutor's ruling that shooting was unflawful ( PDF) • Manslaughter charge against officer Troy Meade ( PDF)   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, October 26, 2009 Everett policeman charged with manslaughter in deadly shooting of Stanwood man By Diana Hefley and Jackson Holtz Herald Writers EVERETT -- An Everett police officer apparently broke the law when he shot and killed a man in June outside the Chuckwagon Inn, authorities announced today. Officer Troy Meade, 41, was charged this morning with first-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of Niles Meservey, 51, of Stanwood. Another police officer who was at the shooting scene told investigators that Meade first used an electric stun gun to try to stop Meservey from driving away from a police stop. When that didn't work, Meade allegedly drew a handgun and shot Meservey repeatedly. "Time to end this; enough is enough," Meade allegedly said. Investigators believe that Meade was not directly in danger of being run down by Meservey’s vehicle. They determined he was standing about a car-length behind and to the left of the Corvette when he fired, according to court papers. Another officer who witnessed the events told investigators that he didn’t believe that there was any “immediate or imminent threat” to Meade, any civilians or the other officer when Meade opened fire, prosecutors wrote. An investigation by a special task force found that the officer’s use of deadly force was not permitted under the law, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Mark Roe wrote in a letter sent this morning to the lead detectives in the case. The investigation was handled by Washington State Patrol detective Jeff Rhue and Snohomish County sheriff’s detective Scott Wells. “I have visited the scene with Detective Rhue, spoken with witnesses, and discussed the case with each of you, as well as with experienced prosecutors, and with other members of the SMART team. The conclusion reached by each of us, individually and collectively, is that the fatal shooting of Mr. Meservey on June 10, 2009 does not appear to have been justified under the law,” Roe wrote. After Roe's ruling, the case was assigned to two other deputy prosecutors for a charging decision. They filed charges against Meade this morning in Snohomish County Superior Court. He is accused of recklessly causing Meservey’s death. This is the first time in history that a Snohomish County police officer has faced criminal prosecution in connection with a shooting in the line of duty. Meade is represented by a seasoned defense attorney, David Allen of the Seattle law firm Allen, Hansen and Maybrown PS. Allen said he expects Meade will contest the manslaughter allegations and win acquittal at trial. “Officer Meade is a dedicated professional and we believe the facts as presented in court will be much different than alleged,” Allen said. Deputy prosecutors Matthew Baldock and John Adcock wrote in court papers they have no objection to Meade remaining free on his personal recognizance because they do not consider him a flight risk. Meade does not have access to firearms and is on administrative leave from his police job, prosecutors wrote in court papers. One reason the investigation took time was the detectives' efforts to interview Meade, an 11-year veteran. Despite negotiations, there is no indication that he ever provided a statement. Detectives interviewed patrons at the restaurant and another officer who witnessed the shooting. Meservey reportedly was drunk that night. Someone at the restaurant first called police about 10:45 p.m. to report that another patron was intoxicated and was about ready to drive away. Everett officers arrived at the restaurant and found Meservey’s Corvette but couldn't find him. They left about 15 minutes later. Police were called again, just after 11:30 p.m. The man had returned to the restaurant and was about to leave. Meade arrived at the restaurant about 11:39 p.m. and found Meservey sitting in his car, in the driver's seat, according to charging papers. The Corvette was parked between two other vehicles behind the restaurant. Meade blocked Meservey in, parking his patrol car perpendicular to the Corvette about 15 feet away, prosecutors wrote. Another officer arrived about four minutes later. He saw Meade standing next to the driver’s door of the Corvette, talking with Meservey. Meade signaled to the officer that everything was OK, and the other officer began to drive away. Meade then radioed for the officer to return to help. The officer parked his patrol car and walked back. He saw Meade standing next to the driver’s door and talking to Meservey through an open window. The car’s engine was not running, the officer reported. The officer heard Meade attempting to convince Meservey not to drive away. Meade then ordered him to get out of the car, prosecutors wrote. The officer told investigators he couldn’t hear what Meservey was saying but it sounded like Meservey was speaking in a belligerent tone and refusing to comply with Meade’s commands. The officer sensed the situation was escalating and anticipated that he and Meade were going to have to take additional steps to prevent Meservey from driving away. The officer drew his electric stun gun and baton. He noticed that Meade had drawn his stun gun too. Witnesses said Meade fired his Taser through the open driver’s window. The probes struck Meservey in the left shoulder, court documents said. The other officer could see Meservey stiffen from the shock. Investigators later determined that Meade’s Taser had been used for six seconds and then followed almost immediately by another five-second application. Meservey appeared to quickly recover and asked Meade why he given him an electric shock. Meservey then started the Corvette's engine. The officer yelled to Meade that he was going to move Meade’s patrol car to better block in the Corvette. He told investigators he planned to park the patrol car bumper-to-bumper with the Corvette to minimize collison damage. The officer said as he ran around the front of Meade’s patrol car he saw the Corvette lurch forward over a concrete curb. It struck a low chain-link fence. After it hit the fence, the car appeared to be slightly moving as if Meservey was trying to continue to drive or was revving the engine. The officer said he saw Meade draw his pistol and fire several shots through the Corvette’s rear window, advancing one or two steps as he did, prosecutors wrote. The officer said he heard Meade say "Time to end this" before he began shooting. Meade broadcast over the police radio that shots had been fired and the suspect was down and called for aid. The other officer found Meservey slumped over toward the passenger seat. He unlocked the door and opened it. He and a police sergeant who arrived on scene within minutes removed Meservey from the car and attempted to revive him. The Taser probes were still embedded in Meservey’s shoulder, according to court papers. Paramedics determined that Meservey was dead. The sergeant told investigators that Meade was pacing in the parking lot near his patrol car. He was taking deep breaths and appeared to be upset, prosecutors wrote. Detectives found eight spend bullet casings on the ground near the Corvette. Investigators inspected Meade’s weapon and found that eight rounds were missing from the magazine. Detectives also noted that the rear window of the Corvette was shattered. The front tires were just over the curb at the head of the parking stall, and the front bumper was up against a chain link fence. The car wasn’t in gear but the engine was still running. Meservey died of gunshot wounds to his torso. He’d been struck by seven rounds -- four to the upper back, one to his right shoulder, one to his mid-back and one to his right wrist. Seattle-based trial attorney Paul Luvera in September filed a $15 million claim against the city of Everett on behalf of Meservey's family. It alleges the killing was reckless, unjustified and that police were grossly negligent. "We are pleased the prosecuting attorney reached a conclusion that we believed was abundantly obvious: that it is excessive use of force to shoot a man seven times in the back when he’s sitting in an idling car," Luvera said. Luvera also said the decision was too long in coming, and that too little information was released in the intervening months. Meade was not named in Roe's letter, although his name was included in the charging papers. He has been on desk duty or paid leave since the shooting. He now is on paid leave. A special task force of homicide detectives, the Snohomish Multi Agency Response Team or SMART, led the investigation into the shooting. It sent the results to Roe on Aug. 31. Meservey's daughter, Tanda Louden, welcomed word of the manslaughter charge. "While my family takes some measure of comfort in knowing this man will be held accountable for his actions, nothing the city can do will bring my father back to me and my family," she said. READER COMMENTS Log in or register to post new comment | Log out Paranoid If I got dressed to go to work every day and worried that a large contingent of people wanted to harm me I would seed medical help. Arnie Ziphel | Nov 1, 2009 7:17 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) All my respect to the deceased. In Portland we have different operating procedures for drunks. When you call the police about a drunk person, they send a detox crew before calling police. It tends to work out very well because they don't carry weapons and the drunks get the help they need. In small towns without enough/any city police they dispatch overworked State troopers with PTSD in need of psychological therapy. Chances are that Meade will get a few years jail time, when he probably should have been in mental care years ago. Ronny Lawson | Nov 1, 2009 4:55 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) Why hasnt the name of the officer been revealed like any other citizen in this position. The names of suspects are revealed within hours, even for simple possesion of pot. If found guilty of manslaughter, this cop needs to do his time. Mike Flavin | Oct 26, 2009 11:32 am | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) tell that to the guy who the cop shot in the back what like 6 times? If he was close enough to tazer the man, he should have been close enough to shoot out the tires. I know nobody will believe me cause I'm a former jail bird, but I've seen several instances where police officers and C.O.'s have taken their liberties on a suspect or inmate. Last year when I was in Snohomish County, this guy flooded his cell, and because the c.o.'s boots got soaked, they took him into the rec area where the basketball hoops are and sprayed him with mace, then two officers held his arms back while a female officer beat the guy pretty badly. Personally I think the only reason in this case that cops spoke against their fellow officer is because there were civillian witnesses who saw the whole thing. Ron Strong | Oct 27, 2009 3:15 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal I am confused Our family was at a campground up North and a few of the family members had been drinking. We were evicted for talking and ordered to leave at one in the morning by a whatcom County Sheriff. Ordered to drive when the Sheriff knew some had been drinking. An internal investigation was done and the officer cleared for following standard operating procedure. Arnie Ziphel | Oct 27, 2009 11:51 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal I am confused Our family was at a campground up North and a few of the family members had been drinking. We were evicted talking and ordered to leave at one in the morning by a whatcom County Sheriff. Ordered to drive when the Sheriff knew some had been drinking. An internal investigation was done and the officer cleared for following standard operating procedure. Arnie Ziphel | Oct 27, 2009 11:47 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Perception I agree that this is a tragedy, for all involved. However I have to submit that is is easy for us to second guess this officer when we have not walked in his shoes. We ask these men and women to be the barrier between US and THEM and then tie one arm behind their backs. Granted shootings are and should be a last resort, but take the situation into consideration. It was this individual officer's Perception that his, and others saftey\lives were in danger. The Taser was applied 2 times for a total of 11 seconds, without a satisfactory result.In his belief that lives were in danger he took the only option he felt he had left to stop a crime from being committed. The other officer involved has a different Perception, niether is wrong, both are correct. In closing what about personal responsiblity, all this person had to do was to get out of his car. Jon Hestness | Oct 27, 2009 6:13 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal sorry for the family's of both sides.... and the officer that had to make the decision Easy to sit there and say what should have been done or what could have been done. This isn't football where you can plan your moves in the locker room before the game. This is a situation where you have to make a decision in a few seconds notice, if that. No ones knows what or how they would handle it unless they were actually in that position. I'm not related to a police officer but I do listen to the police scanner, and I listened that night too. It was sad it ended the way it did....for all, but the guy did bring it on himself....ALL he had to do was comply. If he had he could have gone home to his family and the cop could go home to his too. Most people have NO idea what kind of CRAP these police officers put up with. Not just crap but people that are not only a danger to themselves but to others also. People on drugs, alcohol, etc. that could care less if they harm anyone in their way. Listen to the scanner sometime, say on a Friday or Sat. and see what kind of scum they have to deal with over and over, they do the best they can given the situation. Actually, I'm surprised that there aren't more people shot! I feel sorry for the family's of both sides.... and the officer that had to make the decision. h i | Oct 27, 2009 2:52 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) To those of you (Bob Smart, Ron Strong, et al) who say that cops cover for cops: doesn't this case prove you wrong? Another cop told investigators what he witnessed, and investigators ended up charging him. Where's the cover-up you allege?? To those of you calling this cop "corrupt" : do you understand the meaning of that word? An improper shooting does not make a cop corrupt. This is sad for everyone involved. Elle None | Oct 26, 2009 9:20 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) "It is the same people who are cheering and rallying for the officer to 'hang' that would be the first to complain if he allowed the intoxicated man to drive off and kill someone." Don't get delusional. All that blue gun thug propaganda has gone to your head. We don't want gangs of gun thugs going around murdering men on the street. "Officers face people every day who want nothing more than to see them dead." If you know that already, why don't you get a real man's job and stop making war against the people? Bob Knows | Oct 26, 2009 8:07 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) "It is the same people who are cheering and rallying for the officer to 'hang' that would be the first to complain if he allowed the intoxicated man to drive off and kill someone." Don't get delusional. All that blue gun thug propaganda has gone to your head. We don't want gangs of gun thugs going around murdering men on the street. "Officers face people every day who want nothing more than to see them dead." If you know that already, why don't you get a real man's job and stop making war against the people? Bob Knows | Oct 26, 2009 8:07 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal (No heading) True while a majority of police officers and public servants are solid people. A few of them a trigger happy and just plain outright violent. People don't speak up because of fear of retaliation. You call someone a crooked cop or a crooked C.O. who do you tell, another Cop? Yeah right. When I was in Snohomish County jail I saw a lot of abuse of power, but who do I tell who do I run too, another C.O. sure.... There is always a way for them to get to you, especially when you have a badge. I don't trust most of them. Not because I was a criminal, but because I saw it with my own two eyes. Ron Strong | Oct 26, 2009 6:04 pm | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal No One Wins It is the same people who are cheering and rallying for the officer to 'hang' that would be the first to complain if he allowed the intoxicated man to drive off and kill someone. Officers face people every day who want nothing more than to see them dead. How would you like to get dressed for work, kiss your family good bye and drive off knowing that a large contingent of society wants to harm you. This officer will be judged. I believe that the facts of the case will speak for themselves. And as previous posters have stated....mistakes were made on both sides, clearly....no matter what, no one wins. My heart goes out to the families of all those involved, and you're in my prayers. debi y | Oct 26, 2009 7:33 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Serves him right? Serves him right....that'll show him....he'll get what's coming????? That's how these things happen in the first place. Closed loop/closed circuit social systems need ventilation to breathe. I get no pleasure from revenge. But appreciate the powers that be being kept in check. I should hope it is safe to walk down the street at night from now on. Brian Caldwell | Oct 26, 2009 6:32 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Officer Charged The residents of Snohomish County should take pride in their officers and the criminal justice system in their county. Statements that the officer will not be punished insult the jury system. Continue to let the system do it's job. I think we should focus on the good work done by the officers after the fact instead of a possible error made by one officer in a time great stress. Many lives were impacted by this one event. A rush to judgment only makes a sad incident worse. Dustyn Sain | Oct 26, 2009 5:12 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal It's about time this triger happy jerk was held acountable for his idiocidy! Now if they would only go after all the other pathetic triger happy cops in snohomish county. Sherifs and Everett police. There's bin so many Iv'e lost count... Ron Hanks | Oct 26, 2009 5:02 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal To everyone who thinks he will walk.... If the officer is found not guilty, it will only be because a jury i.e. the public, AKA- people like you, found him not guilty. Don't blame the courts or the police for that. Lots of guilty people walk every day soley because the public lets them. Keep that in mind, folks. David Plotkin | Oct 26, 2009 4:47 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal To everyone who thinks he will walk.... If the officer is found not guilty, it will only be because a jury i.e. the public, AKA- people like you, found him not guilty. Don't blame the courts or the police for that. Lots of guilty people walk every day soley because the public lets them. Keep that in mind, folks. David Plotkin | Oct 26, 2009 4:46 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Overkill IMHO, the driver knocked down a fence and a BYSTANDER, thereby proving danger to the community. However, the officer fired too many shots. Could have shot his tires out for that matter. Parties on both sides are guilty. There is no reason to shoot somebody 7-8 times for this infraction. Drunk driver however, are a threat and they are driving a BULLET when intoxicated. Ed B | Oct 26, 2009 12:55 pm | 1 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Does Robin Marie Pratt ring a bell? Of course he will walk! Anyone thinking otherwise is living in a fantasy world. The list of convicted police officers is very short. Steven Beasley | Oct 26, 2009 2:54 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal My Condolences To Both Families The sad truth is, the only winners in this case will be the Attorneys. The investigation delivered the correct conclusion; now community must now support thier police and respect the officers who protect your community. One bad day ruined the lives of many people. Phillip Day | Oct 26, 2009 2:52 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal It's about time I betcha he walks. If anything happens he'll probably just be fired and lose his pension. More than likely he walks on everything. If by some chance he does get found guilty, he'll get probation due his "Years of exceptional service on the force." Cops hardly get anything but a repremand. Ron Strong | Oct 26, 2009 2:20 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal A time for thoughtful comments A time for thoughtful comments By any measure, this is big news, something that'll be discussed publicly and privately. A man has been killed. An officer faces criminal charges. And a police department must deal with the fallout. Thanks to everyone who has tried to bring perspective to this grim situation. It will benefit everyone -- those touched directly by this story and those who are interested citizens and taxypayers -- if comments on HeraldNet are mature and responsible. HeraldNet discourages unverified conjecture or defamatory characterizations. Let's show respect for the family of the deceased. Let's remember that a criminal charge is not a guilty verdict. There may be much we don't know yet. Additionaly, HeraldNet cannot allow comments that threaten the safety of identified individuals. These guidelines are meant to foster a civil and constructive conversation, even if what we're talking about is painful or divisive. Please keep this goal in mind if you choose to comment. Neal Pattison Executive Editor The Daily Herald Neal Pattison | Oct 26, 2009 2:17 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal It's about time This charge is totally warranted, and might give the police some thought BEFORE pulling out their service revolvers. No one should be forced to die at the hands of the police until ALL other options are exhausted. The police are NOT executioners, but they sometimes forget this and take matters very quickly to the extreme. Paul Greg | Oct 26, 2009 2:07 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Tragedy Brings out Stupidity This was tragedy all the way around. Now lets all get together and get the rope and hang the officer. Would that make it right? The fact of the matter is two grown men made STUPID decisions. Had Niles made a choice not to get intoxicated, raise hell so somebody would call the authorities, tried not to drive away but done what the police officer had asked which was to get out of his vehicle then he would probably be alive and well. Did he make those choices "NO". Does that give the officer the right to shoot and kill him, "NO". How would everybody feel had Niles left there and had gotten into a car accident? Killing an innocent family driving down the road. THINK PEOPLE and QUIT BEING SO FREAKING STUPID. It was tragedy both ways. But had one person "Niles" made the right choice to start with, which would of been to call a Taxi. None of us would have anything to write about would we. Gregory Aarde | Oct 26, 2009 1:28 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Justice At Last In the twelve years that SMART has been investigating this is the first time they have found a officer at fault. "Some Kind OF Altercation Followed" is not a good enough reason for so many unjustifed shootings. Maybe we can see SMART change their image from Police investigating Police and no convictions. Does anyone think that a Truck Driver investigating a Truck Driver is going to find fault with his brother Truck Driver? Arnie Ziphel | Oct 26, 2009 1:27 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Professionalism Our thanks to Mr. Roe and those Detectives who investigated in a professional manner and made the tough call. I can only hope that this serves to quiet those idiots who continually wrote here that there would be a cover up and no charged filed. This was a sad situation, but once again it was proved that our system works. A jury can decide whether the officer committed a crime or not. Points Tofacts | Oct 26, 2009 1:08 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal About time AND WHEN HE IS FOUND GUILTY HE SHOULD BE PUT IN THE GENERAL PRISON POPULATION, IDENTIFIED AND LET THE NATURAL COURSE OF THINGS HAPPEN TO HIM. THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD WORSE THAN A CORRUPT, ROTTEN COP. HIS FAMILY SHOULD BE MADE TO PAY BACK EVERY PENNY HE WAS GIVEN WHEN HE WAS OFF WORK EVEN IF IT MEANS PUTTING THEM OUT ON THE STREET. Rich Kruml | Oct 26, 2009 12:32 pm | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal Charges First announcement today by the prosecutor's office did not identify the officer. Charging documents have been filed in the past hour and the officer will be named on HeraldNet and in the Herald. Neal Pattison Executive Editor The Herald Neal Pattison | Oct 26, 2009 11:51 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal I agree ... Post this officer's name as a criminal, just like any other murderer Why should the police, or any other member of the government, continue to get the elite protections that they currently receive? When they take a job in government (yes, law enforcement IS government!) they take a PUBLIC job ... and should be as transparent as possible. I hope they nail this (alleged) officer/person. He is a danger to society ... much more a danger than the alleged drunk driver he murdered. Brad Ashforth | Oct 26, 2009 11:48 am | 0 replies | View all | Post reply | Request removal

1. Early morning gunfire wounds 2 in Everett 2. Father guilty of manslaughter in girl's death 3. ZZ Top fans get Everett buzzing 4. Crash devastating for toddler 5. Snohomish County budget passes, with a caveat 6. Fall 2009 Wesco All-League Teams 7. Laundry fire sparks concerns over smoke detectors 8. Two people injured in Highway 9 collision 9. Northrop: Boeing's 767 ‘no longer commercially viable' 10. Lynnwood police seek hit-and-run driver 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Holiday Lightings & Santa Sightings • Ruling in the pool • Archbishop Murphy takes title • A season of performing arts • Budget numbers have official fuming • Wildcats move on to 2A semifinals • Holiday Bazaars & Fairs Calendar • Edmonds’ Westgate Chapel serves up hospitality for holiday • Mavericks fall • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million