Verdict for teens who attacked West Seattle officer: Guilty

The verdict’s in at the trial of three teenagers who attacked Southwest Precinct Officer Jason McKissack in High Point last June: Guilty, according to this seattletimes.com report, which also says they face no more than a month in jail when they’re sentenced in June. McKissack is still on leave, recovering from injuries including getting kicked in the head (we summarized the police report in this WSB story last June).

15 Replies to "Verdict for teens who attacked West Seattle officer: Guilty"

  • Scott May 21, 2009 (5:45 pm)

    Someone should kick their silly A$$ED heads in!
    That is just uncalled for! He’s (probably) got a family to support, or at least himself, and disability pay just isn’t full pay with any OT.

    For this they only get a month?
    How about Felony Assault?
    How about some street justice?

    Why is it that the street thugs seem to be running West Seattle? Shootings, robberies, car vandals, house break-ins, etc – what has happened to this (part of) town? Are we just hearing more of what is happening by better reporting, or has the over-all instances of crime increased?

  • rockyraccoon May 21, 2009 (6:11 pm)

    A month in jail? But, they’ll miss all their favorite TV shows! Oh wait, they have TV in jail. I guess that’s not too harsh after all.

  • OP May 21, 2009 (7:40 pm)

    A whole whopping month in a jail for assaulting an officer of the law. What did the defense lawyers argue, that the officer’s face got in the way of the thug’s shoe? What’s the real lesson here: Why worry about the crime if you won’t do the time. What an f-ing travesty.

  • Koni May 21, 2009 (9:08 pm)

    Unbelievable.

  • OUTRAGED May 21, 2009 (9:23 pm)

    Why even try them?!!!!!!!!! What a waste of time!!!!! This officer if still on leave most likely has severe head trauma from this. Granted he does a job where he agrees to put his life on the line but this was a major crime. What was the point of even catching them and trying them? I wonder what the hell the judges in this town are thinking. Watch this happen again to someone else because these kids didn’t learn from this. They have a violent streak that won’t go away in a month. Good job judicial system – fantastic. Officer McKissack we are thinking about you and are very sorry for this ridiculous, assinine verdict that I am sure for you adds insult to injury. So glad you are alive and survived and are hoping for your healthy return to work soon. Thank you for your service to West Seattle.

  • SeattleJoe May 21, 2009 (10:09 pm)

    Reminds me of what happened to the Tuba Man (who died from kicks to the head) killers. Apparently you can kill a man and it’ll only cost you 72 weeks of juvenile detention. Beat on a cop and it’s only 4 weeks of juvenile detention.

  • wseye May 22, 2009 (8:23 am)

    Unfortunately our prisons are full of petty drug criminals instead of violent thugs like this, those who represent the main threat to our society. The US has 25% of the world’s prisoners and only 5% of the world’s population, so we have lots of prison space. The problem is our attitude about what crime deserves punishment. This assault on a police officer trying to break up a fight deserves a far greater sentence. It is hard to understand how someone can get away with this kind of violence and be allowed back on the streets so quickly.

  • austin May 22, 2009 (8:42 am)

    If they’re old enough to threaten my life by operating a vehicle, old enough to nearly kill police officers, they’re old enough to serve extended sentences, preferably overseas in compulsory military duty.

  • b'smomma May 22, 2009 (10:16 am)

    That is just stupid! I’d like to see a list in plain english of what the sentencings consist of for specific crimes! Beating up an officer apparently has the same punishment as having a small amount (enough for one’s self)of “Mary J” on you! An aquiantance is looking at 30 DAYS for having a pipe with MJ in it and no more refills! How ridiculous is this?!

  • nick May 22, 2009 (10:23 am)

    I am really saddened to read the numerous thoughtless knee jerk reactions to this case. I don’t know too much about this case, just what has been reported in the news. However, I do understand that we have a legal system which allows the accused and the accuser to state their case, and, in this instance (as it was in juvenile court so no jury), the judge rules on the matter. Remember there is more evidence than just the police report, perhaps that played a role. (Or maybe the police did a bad job of writing up their report, so it was thrown out as evidence. Or they lied in their report which would not be the first time this happended) If the 3 kids were found guilty and are only going to serve a month–clearly the case was not that serious. Or, the prosecuting attorney did a sh*tty job–at which point you should make idiotic rants that the prosecutors are not well trained. Or, the defense attorney did a really good job–at which point you can make idiotic rants that the defense attorneys are too well trained. Or, I guess you can complain that the judge was bias–so you can rant that people are dumb and elect bad judges, but I would then ask when is the last time you studied the judges and rulings that they have made before voting. (I can not lie, I have rarely done that).

    People need to realize that the legal system is not what you see on Law and Order or CSI: Miami/New York/Las Vegas/Omaha or wherever. So perhaps before you make uneducated comments (actually most of the comments were just down right stupid–gotta keep it real) you should think for a second or two. The lack of critical thinking displayed here reminds me of why the US is continuing to fall behind other nations on educational indicators.

  • whatever May 22, 2009 (11:09 am)

    I guess you have it all figured out Nick. I guess if you had you were in a violent attack and almost died you would let whoever did it go free. No one believes this is CSI.
    “If the 3 kids were found guilty and are only going to serve a month–clearly the case was not that serious”
    How could it not be that serious when the officer has been out of work for over a year from his injuries and almost died?
    It’s funny to me how you say our comments are ‘uneducated’ when you have no idea of our education. There was a brutal crime and someone almost died. The kids got a slap on the wrist PERIOD. Hopefully these kids don’t cross your path or your families in the future. Or I guess if this happened to you or your family you would be fine with a one month sentence. Your argument is ridiculous and callous.

  • homesweethome May 22, 2009 (9:14 pm)

    It is frustrating to read the reactionary comments so I understand where Nick is coming from but…the system is us folks, the people of Seattle and King Co. The laws are the way they are because it is what we approve by who we vote for and what we tolerate as a community or our endless commentary, public hearings, etc on every issue in town. And let’s not forget- our tax collections have declined so we can bemoan the “system” all we want but financial realities dictate how many prosecutors we have, how many attorneys for the accused and how long people may get sentenced for. Sure, I wish these folks were sentenced for longer for such an attack – but unfortunately, reality is what it is. If harsher penalties are really what people want, then get out there and lobby for them with your vote and all your networking prowess.

  • Jack May 22, 2009 (11:26 pm)

    The original report had the Southwest Precinct leaders say the injured officer was going to be ok. The questions I have is why the officer is not back to work a year later? Is the officer being compensated? Is he going to have a permanent disability award from L&I. I remember Ken Hamlin having his skull cracked in with a street sign, going into a coma and still returning to the NFL in less than a year.

  • Eman May 23, 2009 (7:34 pm)

    Where in the name if all that is holy is your sense of retribution and fairness Nick? The justice system in any society is meant as a deterrent and a means for the guilty party to repay it’s debt to said society. In your feebly educated (and I use the word loosely here) someone who not only defies our authority as taxpayers towards our representative, but injure him and take him out of his job, is equivalent to 1 month in penitentiary? This is not adequate at all. Not as deterrent for others, not as societal debt repayment. They should at minimum pay ALL the legal, medical and incur all the cost they caused the city. That would give them a little more sense of what they did and the impact their actions have.

  • erin May 30, 2009 (11:18 pm)

    As a resident of HighPoint who is a transplant from another state, and had NO idea the history of this area before PURCHASING my home in this neighborhood… Im really disapointed at how this area is shaping up. I am a single white female who is regualrly harassed while out walking my
    (thankfully very protective) dog, assaulted by offensively loud music late at night from neighboring streets, continually frightened to walk down the street because of the speed and disregard of the teenagers that drive wildly through here, and forget parking on the street. Im glad I have a garage. The incident involving the beating of the officer makes me sick. It was horrible, and the people responsible are CRIMINALS. The only thing more sickening are Nick’s sad and completely ignorant focus on the “corupt” judicial system. As the niece of a judge, a sister to a lawyer, and a cousin to a Police Leiutenant that have each given thier entire lives to uphold and protect the law, and the people in thier jurisdiction, Nick – you are an idiot. That officer derserves so so much better, and those three deserve to go to PRISON for a long long time.

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