Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what you may have missed from [un]Divided this week.
Accused mass shooter granted pre-trial release
Just prior to the start of the pandemic, the big story in Seattle was a deadly shootout outside McDonald’s on the corner of 3rd and Pine.
On Jan. 22, 2020, at the height of afternoon rush hour, several men opened fire at each other – with bullets flying through crowded sidewalks. A 50-year-old woman was killed in the crossfire and six other people were injured, including a 9-year-old boy.
Two of the suspects, William Tolliver and Marquise Tolbert fled to Las Vegas once their mugshots hit the news. They were arrested a week later and charged with first-degree murder and six counts of assault.
As Tolliver awaits trial, King County Chief Criminal Judge Karen Donohue this past week granted the 27-year-old pre-trial release.
According to The Seattle Times:
A King County Superior Court judge on Thursday granted Tolliver pretrial release, clearing him to live with his grandmother while awaiting trial — provided he complies with a host of conditions, including electronic home detention, and that he posts an unsecured bond, which is essentially a written promise to appear in court.
Yes, you read that correctly. Tolliver – who has demonstrated not only an extreme disregard for human life, but a willingness to flee from justice – gets to hang out at his grandma’s house until trial.
From The Times:
Defense attorneys Cathy Gromley and Juanita Holmes last week filed a motion seeking Tolliver’s pretrial release, “based on ongoing developments in the case” and because Tolliver’s family doesn’t have the financial means to post bail. The attorneys cited harsh jail conditions and understaffing that have caused delays in attorneys being able to confidentially confer with clients. They also argued defense investigations “have shown that the state’s case is far weaker than it looked when the case was first filed.”
Furthermore, defense attorneys for Tolliver “cited studies that show defendants of color, particularly Black defendants, are disproportionately denied reasonable bail compared with their white counterparts, jeopardizing their presumption of innocence.”
At trial, Tolliver’s defense team will argue that he acted in self-defense that day, shooting only in response to a third man – Jamal Jackson – pulling out a gun to shoot at him first. Tolliver’s friend that fled to Vegas with him, Tolbert, was already acquitted of the same charges at trial after a jury agreed with the self-defense claim.
King County prosecutors objected to Tolliver’s release, writing in a statement:
“We believe someone charged with Murder in the First Degree and six counts of Assault in the First Degree against innocent bystanders should reasonably be held in jail. Mr. Tolliver also has a history of unlawful gun possession in violation of court orders, which King County prosecutors emphasized in court.”
If you watch one thing from unDivided this week…
…make it the interview with Matthew Humphrey on our Wednesday episode. Matt is the owner of Steele Barber and has become an outspoken critic of Seattle’s response to the drug crisis.
He told a few downright infuriating stories about what he’s dealt with at his location in the Ballard neighborhood, including the time a drug user was passed out in his storefront and police told him there was nothing they could do.
How can anyone run a business in those conditions?
Matt also commented on an effort from Seattle’s mayor to prioritize business owners of color to help fill vacant storefronts downtown.
"I have deep respect for people that might have other barriers, but I think it's wholly unfair to create that kind of focus where it alienates people like myself. It almost seems like reverse racism. How do you say, now you're going to exclude me from the equation when I have the willingness, the opportunity and the track record proven to go in and create an experience."
Hear my thoughts on the mayor’s plan on Wednesday’s episode around the 5:00 mark.
In the meantime, maybe we can convince Matt to run for a seat on the city council?
Housekeeping
Nothing – except Adele was amazing. What I thought was cool is just how diverse the audience was. Young and old, men and woman, all races. Her voice is truly transcendent.
Have a great Sunday and I will see you tomorrow! Thanks for your commitment to giving common sense a comeback.
