SEATTLE — A Seattle police lieutenant accused of assaulting his wife during an argument in June was acquitted of a misdemeanor domestic violence charge Wednesday by a municipal court jury.
Lt. Donnie R. Lowe still faces a charge of violating a no-contact order and an internal investigation.
His arrest in the domestic violence case led to his removal as a leader in the police department’s reform plan, drafted in response to a Justice Department investigation that found officers used excessive force.
The 45-year-old Lowe is a 20-year Seattle police veteran. His wife Nanette declined to testify at the trial.
The Seattle Times reported defense attorney John Henry Browne used a “Clint Eastwood defense,” putting an empty chair before the jury and asking, “How can I cross examine a 911 tape?”
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