Two Three West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports to share (with a suspicion-evoking sighting added 12:18 pm) – read on:Read More

By Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The King County Superior Court trial of Bryce Huber and Brandon Chaney, charged with first-degree murder in the February 2009 shooting death of lifelong West Seattleite Steve Bushaw, is in recess until Monday.

In the jury trial that could take as long as a month, three main witnesses were on the stand Thursday, including one of the admitted triggermen, John Sylve. But first:

Today’s proceedings began with a resumption of testimony from Detective Kevin O’Keefe of the Seattle Police Department’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit. Next, the state called Seattle Police Detective Mike Magan to the stand. Magan was the detective assigned to investigate a home-invasion robbery in Seattle – the aftermath of that robbery is alleged to have helped precipitate the murder.) Then, Sylve followed.

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By Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

The second day of testimony in the murder trial of Brandon Chaney and Bryce Huber began with the questioning of “Tony”, who witnessed the shooting of Steve Bushaw the night of February 1, 2009.

Following him on the witness stand Wednesday were the first two Seattle Police officers to arrive at that scene: Officer Edward Anderson answered questions, as did Officer Curtis Woo. In the afternoon, a West Seattleite named Marie testified as to what she witnessed from her location in the Junction that evening — and the day finished with Crime Scene Investigation Unit Detective Kevin O’Keefe explaining what his responsibilities were at the crime scene, what duties he and his team performed; from the stand he also explained numerous crime scene photos showing the jury what the Junction area looked like along California Avenue, and what evidence was discovered and where.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The trial of Bryce Huber and Brandon Chaney, charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Steve Bushaw, is the first West Seattle murder case to go to trial in three years. We covered the last one gavel-to-gavel and intend to do the same here. After two weeks of motions, logistics, and jury selection, the prosecution and defense both presented their opening statements today, and then the prosecution began calling witnesses. Our story tonight covers the opening statements, with witness notes to come.

By Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

Veteran prosecutor Jeffrey Baird delivered the first opening statement. He began by noting the date of the deadly shooting:

“February 1st, 2009. Sunday. It was Super Bowl Sunday, the Steelers played the Cardinals, and millions watched. Two and a half years ago, after the Super Bowl, something happened in our community that was witnessed by only a few people. A young man was shot to death. The young man’s name was Steve Bushaw. He was raised in West Seattle, he’d gone to West Seattle High School. At the time of his death, he was still living with his parents in West Seattle. And he was shot to death right in the heart of West Seattle, in what locals call ‘The Junction” …

“Mr. Bushaw’s death was not an accident – he was not hit by a stray round. He was gunned down in the middle of the street, not by one but two men, both firing repeatedly at him from close range. This was not a case of self-defense. He was not armed, and did nothing to provoke them. He had never met them. This was not case of sudden rage. He’d done nothing to provoke it. It wasn’t a case of mistaken identity. He was deliberately targeted, with considerable planning and forethought.”

Baird then told the jury what sort of evidence they would be presented with, and how he believes it will tell the story, step by step.

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At the King County Courthouse this morning, the gallery in Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque’s courtroom was almost completely filled for what was anticipated to be the start of opening statements in the trial of Bryce Huber and Brandon Chaney, charged with murdering West Seattleite Steve Bushaw (right) in February 2009. Among those on hand were members of the victim’s family. Then suddenly, a surprise – a problem that, over the course of the first hour, led to one of the jurors being excused from the case. That resulted in a new mini-round of jury selection to replace him, and that took the rest of the day, with word just in that opening statements are expected to start tomorrow. The trial may last the entire month and has already gone through a variety of delays; it was on the verge of starting back in January when it was pushed back by sudden developments, including 2 other defendants deciding to plead guilty. (The backstory’s in our original report on the charges filed in fall 2009.)

Several notes this afternoon. First, we finally have some official police information on an incident at the Shell station in the 5400 block of Delridge about this time Sunday. (Thanks to Patrick Baer, who also provided the photo, and to Lawrence, for the tips about this.) Seattle Police media-unit Det. Mark Jamieson confirms that the incident involved police spotting a stolen truck (it was a Toyota Tundra, according to Lawrence). Four people were inside. Two were arrested and booked into jail – investigation of auto theft and an outstanding warrant, according to Det. Jamieson, who says the other two were released. The truck’s owner came to the scene, too. Note: This was first reported to us as an incident involving police “with guns drawn.” That is standard procedure if a vehicle is being stopped for a potential felony (car theft qualifies) – so if you happen to see that startling sight, know that just might be the circumstance. (And let us know – 206-293-6302.)

Speaking of auto theft, here’s a report sent today by J:

Just discovered my car missing and presumed stolen from my off-street driveway (Genesee area near Schmitz school). Report has been filed with police.

Asking folks to keep an eye out for and report to police sighting of:
2001 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport
blue, 4 door, 5th door hatchback with spoiler
“Uff Da” frame around license plates

And today’s third note (so far), Gregor reported a string of car break-ins in Arbor Heights Friday night/Saturday morning (he was among the victims) – including some windows broken on locked cars, in the area of 36th/108th (map), and possibly beyond.

In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight – two reader reports. First, from Mike:

My house at 32nd and Roxbury [map] was burglarized for the second time in 4 months (Monday). The first time, the neighbor reported seeing a primer-gray mid-’80s pickup truck in my driveway during the burglary but thought it was a friend. The second time, no one saw anything; however, the thieves stole a black powder musket and 3 cameras and smashed a window to get in. The black powder musket was in a Flambeau case, and they broke one of the latches that close the case in the process of stealing it.

Next, a scam, also out of the WSB inbox: J&J tell the tale of what a friend fell for; even if you think you would know better, you might want to warn your more-trusting friends and relatives. Read on:Read More

At the King County Courthouse downtown, we’ve just left the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque, where jury selection is now complete for the trial of Brandon Chaney and Bryce Huber, after prospective jurors went through almost two full days of questioning. Eight women and six men comprise the fourteen-juror panel (12 jurors and two alternates) who remained in the courtroom after the rest were dismissed. Huber and Chaney are on trial for the February 2009 West Seattle shooting death of 26-year-old Steve Bushaw; two others, Danny O’Neal and John Sylve, have pleaded guilty. The trial is now in recess until 9 am Monday, when prosecutor Jeff Baird and defense lawyers Tony Savage (for Huber) and Jim Roe (for Chaney) are scheduled to begin opening statements.

MONDAY MIDDAY NOTE: Opening statements haven’t started, after all – one of the jurors had to be excused from the case, and they are going through a new pool of jurors to select a replacement. That’s expected to take the rest of the day.

Two and a half years after 26-year-old Steve Bushaw was shot dead outside Talarico’s, jury selection has begun in the murder trial of the two defendants remaining in the case. In two sessions this morning, 120 prospective jurors were brought into King County Superior Court Judge Joan DuBuque‘s courtroom, and askedwhether serving on the jury for this trial would cause hardship. For those who were not excused in that round, questioning this afternoon (voir dire) will involve the defense and prosecution lawyers deciding who is acceptable to be seated.

Judge DuBuque has outlined a timetable for the case: Court will be in session Mondays through Thursdays, 9 am to 4 pm (except August 15-16, when it will be in recess), until the case goes to the jury, at which time they will also deliberate Fridays if necessary. It is projected to last three or four weeks before the jury gets the case. The defendants are alleged mastermind Bryce Huber and alleged getaway driver Brandon Chaney, both on trial for first-degree murder after prosecutors dropped the conspiracy charge; John Sylve and Danny O’Neal have already pleaded guilty to being the triggermen and are expected to testify. Earlier this week, it was agreed that opening statements would start next Monday, though that is of course dependent on how the rest of the jury selection process goes.

We’re at the King County Courthouse, where jury selection was supposed to start right about now for the two remaining defendants on trial for the murder of Steve Bushaw two and a half years ago, after a week of final pre-trial motions and discussion. But jury selection has just been delayed till Wednesday because of a tangled set of circumstances that made it safer, for the case’s chances of surviving any later challenges, to wait for a new pool of jurors to arrive at the courthouse. Key among the challenges today, the fact that some members of today’s overall courthouse jury pool, while waiting to go into another courtroom, might have seen deputies bringing cuffed defendants Brandon Chaney and Bryce Huber down the hall, a sight that might prejudice them if they were then “recycled” into this jury pool. So Wednesday morning at 9:15, everyone will reconvene. Prosecutor Jeff Baird proposed opening statements then be set for next Monday morning, and no one objected.