SPD Sued Again in Another Undercover Assault

Seattle's The Stranger has yet another report of a lawsuit filed against the Seattle Police Department.

It appears that the SPD undercover Anti-Crime Team has a history of attacking people because... yes, it's about the same ACT who repeatedly tasered someone MISTAKENLY identified as a gang member this summer, jumped two jaywalkers and repeatedly bashed one's head into the pavement after he was restrained last week, and yes, the same officers who assaulted a Canadian woman and her friend for jaywalking last month.

This time, in August of 2006, it appears that an athletic director and employee of the year from the Seattle Boys & Girls Club, Aaron Claxton, was heading home from a late night basketball game and has he pulled into his driveway an unmarked SUV sped up to the front of his house as several unidentified armed men jumped out and ran up to him and a friend. The armed men allegedly did not identify themselves and used a taser to subdue Mr. Claxton, handcuffed him, and then let him sit in his driveway for 20 minutes.

When Mr. Claxton asked officers why they were taking so long to do anything, they replied, "we're trying to figure out what to charge you with." Eventually they decided to charge him with obstruction, speeding, and running a stop sign... all of which were later dropped due to lack of proof.

By the way, this is the same ACT that, despite findings of wrongdoing from the SPD Office of Professional Accountability, the police chief repeatedly exonerated out of hand with no explanation. Seems that maybe there should be some accountability at the top of the SPD too.