Eighty-three convicted criminals – including high-risk sex offenders and violent felons – have been released from two King County jails because they exceeded the total that the state Department of Corrections was allowed to place there, says the Seattle Times. The felons were jailed because they were accused of violating the terms of their release from prison such as missing appointments with community corrections officers. Other violations included failing to attend mandatory drug or mental-health treatment.
Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire awaits a report on why two Seattle police officers and a county sheriff’s deputy were killed last year during encounters with felons who were being sought for violating terms of release. Said a state spokesman on the latest releases: “We feel we are making responsible decisions. We didn’t just say ‘you, you and you are free,’ ” We had no choice but to do something about the situation in the jail. We couldn’t put any more violators in there.”
Link: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003591051_doc27m.html