Jaahnavi Kandula’s death: Seattle police officer who struck and killed her will not face criminal charges



WASHINGTON: The Seattle police officer who struck and killed Indian pupil Jaahnavi Kandula whereas responding to an overdose name, won’t face any felony costs resulting from lack of “enough” proof, authorities mentioned. On Wednesday, the King County Prosecutor’s Workplace mentioned they won’t transfer ahead with felony costs towards Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave, FOX13 Seattle reported.
In an announcement launched Wednesday, the King County Prosecuting Lawyer mentioned, “Kandula’s loss of life is heartbreaking and impacted communities in King County and the world over.”
Kandula, 23, was struck by a police car pushed by Officer Dave when she was crossing a road in Seattle on January 23. He was driving 74 mph (greater than 119 kmh) on the best way to a report of a drug overdose name. Kandula was thrown 100 toes when she was struck by the rushing police patrol car.
In bodycam footage launched by the Seattle Police Division, Officer Daniel Auderer laughed in regards to the lethal crash and dismissed any implication Dave is likely to be at fault or {that a} felony investigation was obligatory.
King County Prosecuting Lawyer Leesa Manion mentioned that she believes they lack the proof to show a felony case past an inexpensive doubt, the report added.
“It’s the duty of the King County Prosecuting Lawyer’s Workplace to evaluate all out there proof referring to the case involving Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave and the January 2023 collision loss of life of Jaahnavi Kandula. After staffing this case with senior deputy prosecuting attorneys and workplace management, I’ve decided that we lack enough proof below Washington State legislation to show a felony case past an inexpensive doubt.”
The assertion additionally mentioned that the prosecutor’s workplace additionally finds the feedback made by Seattle Police Officer Daniel Auderer, recorded on his body-worn video, “appalling and deeply troubling.”
Auderer, who was not concerned within the January collision, was captured within the video saying, “However she is lifeless” and laughing whereas on the cellphone.
She was 26 anyway,” Auderer mentioned within the video. “She had restricted worth.”
“Officer Auderer’s feedback had been additionally unprofessional and undermined the general public’s belief within the Seattle Police Division and legislation enforcement typically,” mentioned Manion.
“As egregious as Officer Auderer’s feedback are, they don’t change the PAO’s authorized evaluation into the conduct of Officer Dave. It’s the Workplace of Police Accountability that bears the duty of disciplinary investigation and proceedings referring to Officer Auderer’s remark, not the PAO.”
Auderer was pulled from patrol in September 2023 and reassigned to a “non-operational place.”
Auderer might nonetheless be fired after the fallout of his insensitive feedback captured on bodycam.
Auderer’s chain of command and the Workplace of Police Accountability (OPA) discovered he acted unprofessionally. For that, he faces the very best disciplinary vary of almost two weeks suspension as much as termination, in keeping with a disciplinary motion report.
Earlier than a ultimate disciplinary determination, Auderer can have the possibility to satisfy with Police Chief Adrian Diaz to disagree.
His disciplinary listening to is scheduled for March 4, K5 Information reported.
Seattle native media reported that velocity was the reason for the collision, because the velocity at which Dave was travelling did “not permit (Kandula) or him enough time to detect, deal with and keep away from a hazard that offered itself.”
Dave was responding to a “precedence one” name on the request of the Seattle Fireplace Division, in keeping with the Seattle Police Division. In accordance with the police report, the officer was responding to a report of a drug overdose.
The officer didn’t have his siren activated repeatedly. As a substitute, the officer “chirped” his siren on the intersection. He did have his emergency lights on, in keeping with a earlier assertion from the police division.
In a memo to Seattle police, prosecutors wrote there was not sufficient proof to show Dave confirmed “aware disregard for others security.”
A drug recognition professional responded to the scene and located no impairment within the officer.
Kandula was a graduate pupil at Northeastern College on the Seattle campus. The college mentioned in January 2023 that they might award her diploma posthumously and current it to her household.





Source link

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *