Judged by XII: A King County Local Dive podcast. The hands shown here belong to Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson, who has been charged with homicide in the 2019 death of Jesse Sarey.

Judged by XII: A King County Local Dive podcast. The hands shown here belong to Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson, who has been charged with homicide in the 2019 death of Jesse Sarey.

JUDGED BY XII (Episode 3): Behind the decision to charge a police officer with murder | King County Local Dive

Special podcast series explores Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson’s role in the death of Jesse Sarey.

This is the third installment of a special podcast series on the case of Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson, who is the first police officer to be charged with murder since Washington voters approved Initiative 940, which changes the burden of proof for prosecution of police homicides.

This episode explores King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg’s decision to charge Nelson with second-degree murder and first-degree assault. We also take a closer look at Initiative 940. Warning: This podcast contains audio of the shooting of Jesse Sarey, who was killed by Officer Nelson in 2019.

EPISODE 3:

LISTEN TO PART 1 HERE:

Synopsis: A month after Nelson shot and killed Jesse Sarey in 2019, he sat down at an Auburn police substation with his lawyer to read a prepared statement on the killing. However, Nelson’s statement regarding the killing conflicts with the eyewitness’s account on key details. The Auburn Reporter has obtained audio of these statements through public records requests.

LISTEN TO PART 2 HERE:

Synopsis: This episode explores Nelson’s pattern of violent behavior and misconduct while working with the Auburn Police Department. Records show Nelson used force against civilians 92 times between May 2011 and November 2018, and 57 of those incidents resulted in injuries that required medical attention — a higher rate than the rest of the department’s officers.

(Warning: This episode contains graphic language and depictions of violence)

You can also listen here on Spotify.

About this podcast

The King County Local Dive is a new weekly podcast that highlights headlines from Sound Publishing newspapers throughout Washington state’s largest and most diverse county. A new episode is available every Friday. Each episode features original watchdog reporting from our local journalists with a focus on how we hold our public entities and public officials accountable.

Stories for the King County Local Dive are first reported in Sound Publishing’s King County newspapers: Federal Way Mirror, Auburn Reporter, Kent Reporter, Renton Reporter, Enumclaw Courier-Herald, Mercer Island Reporter, Snoqualmie Valley Record, Kirkland Reporter, Issaquah Reporter, Redmond Reporter, Bothell-Kenmore Reporter, Bellevue Reporter and Seattle Weekly.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

tt
Fincher’s farewell to Kent City Council after 12 years

‘We have to make sure that our people know we care for them,’ Brenda Fincher says

File Photo, Kent Reporter
Kent Police arrest man for DUI passed out in vehicle in road

911 caller reports car stopped in roadway with engine running along 88th Avenue South

t
Kent closes portions of two more streets due to water over roadway

124th Avenue SE and SE 256th Street added to list; long section of West Valley Highway still closed

t
Community celebrates new local light rail stations in Kent| Photos

Sound Transit opens stations at Kent Des Moines, Star Lake in Kent and Federal Way

Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson announced a state of emergency Dec. 10 over the flooding. Courtesy photo
Gov. Ferguson declares statewide emergency over major flooding

The flooding has affected SR 410 both near Greenwater and Sumner.

t
City of Kent closes portion of West Valley Highway due to flooding

Shut down between Frager Road and South 277th Street; three other streets also closed

File Photo, Kent Reporter
Kent Police officer fires gun at suspect but man not hit

Sexual assault suspect taken into custody after nearly 3-hour incident Dec. 10 at Indigo Springs Apartments

Kent School Board directors Teresa Gregory (top left), Tim Clark and Donald Cook during a Dec. 3 work session with staff about the Kent School District’s budget. VIDEO SCREENSHOT, Kent School District
Kent School Board seeks budget cut details from district staff

Wants break down of $7 million in reductions from this year’s budget; student enrollment decline to continue

Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. FILE PHOTO, Kent Reporter
Judge sentences man, 40, for 2021 Kent drive-by shooting

Receives nearly 5 years in prison; shots fired at two people in vehicle for lack of drug payment

t
Motorcyclist recovering after Kent hit-and-run on East Hill

Galen Morris injured after hosting karaoke at Kent bar; friends start fundraiser

Steffanie Fain. COURTESY PHOTO, King County
Steffanie Fain receives Sound Transit Board appointment

Newly elected King County Councilmember to represent Kent, Renton and other cities

t
Light rail’s opening day arrives Saturday, Dec. 6 in Kent, Federal Way

Celebrations planned at three new stations as service along 7.8-mile extension begins