A suburban Seattle police officer has been sentenced to just over 16 years in prison for the 2019 shooting death of a homeless man he was trying to arrest for disorderly conduct. This marks the first conviction under a Washington state law that made it easier to prosecute officers for on-duty killings.
The officer, Jeffrey Nelson, was found guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the death of Jesse Sarey. The judge sentenced Nelson to 16 1/2 years for the murder conviction and 6 1/2 years for assault, to be served concurrently.
During the sentencing, the judge criticized Nelson for his violent behavior in uniform and emphasized the importance of police officers abiding by their training to prevent lethal outcomes in their interactions with the public.
Prosecutors argued that Nelson punched Sarey multiple times before shooting him in the abdomen and then in the forehead. Nelson claimed self-defense, alleging that Sarey tried to grab his gun and a knife, but video evidence contradicted his account.
Sarey's family expressed relief at seeing Nelson held accountable for his actions, with his foster mother stating that justice was served after six years of waiting. The prosecuting attorney hailed the sentence as a demonstration that no one, including law enforcement officers, is above the law.
Nelson's defense plans to appeal the verdict, citing legal errors during the trial that they believe deprived Nelson of his constitutional rights. The case highlighted the change in Washington state law that removed the requirement to prove malice in officer-involved killings, shifting the focus to the reasonableness of the use of force.
Nelson's history of violence came under scrutiny, with previous incidents involving the deaths of two other individuals while on duty. The City of Auburn has settled with Sarey's family for $4 million and paid additional sums to resolve other litigation related to Nelson's actions as an officer.
Despite testimonials of Nelson's generosity and work ethic, the judge rebuked the Auburn Police Department for overlooking evidence of Nelson's violent tendencies and emphasized the importance of character and integrity in law enforcement.
