Election 2018

Court won’t reconsider ruling on deadly force initiative

The state Supreme Court has denied a motion for reconsideration of its ruling on a ballot measure.

Associated Press

OLYMPIA — The Washington Supreme Court says it will not reconsider a ruling from earlier this week concerning Initiative 940, which is designed to make it easier to prosecute police officers for negligent shootings.

In a split decision, the court ruled Tuesday that the measure would be placed on the November ballot, while a compromise version of the legislation preferred by lawmakers, activists and police groups would not. Both measures were passed by the Legislature this year in an unprecedented maneuver which the court found impermissible.

The initiative’s sponsor, De-Escalate Washington, sought reconsideration, saying only one of the justices, Barbara Madsen, wanted I-940 to go to the ballot by itself and that her opinion should not control the case. The other justices either wanted both measures to go to the ballot, or for the original initiative to stand as law without a public vote.

After requesting further briefing Wednesday, the court on Thursday denied the motion for reconsideration.

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