The sister of Joshua Musselman, 29, who was shot and killed by Spokane police on Dec. 29, has hired attorney Rondy Thorp, who has previously represented the families of several other men in wrongful death lawsuits against the city of Spokane. . Some of these include the largest settlement of its kind in the history of the city.
Officers reportedly responded to Northcliffe Terrace Apartments after receiving reports that a man had fired “what appeared to be a rifle” from inside the apartment. It was the second time that day that officers responded to a call about Musselman.
Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall said at a news conference later that night that officers spoke to Musselman and “at some point felt threatened.”
Hall said “up to four” officers fired shots, but did not provide details on how the response escalated into a use-of-force incident. It remains unclear whether Musselman was armed.
Anwar Peace, a Spokane Human Rights Commission member who lives downstairs from Musselman, testified Monday night at the Spokane City Council meeting that Musselman frequently receives complaints from neighbors and calls for law enforcement and behavioral health. The service provider argued that it should have intervened before the incident occurred. The shooting incident occurred on December 29th.
Musselman made headlines in July when he was arrested and charged by Spokane police with attempted vehicle theft and first-degree malicious mischief stemming from an alleged attempted theft of an ambulance in downtown Spokane.
According to court records, Musselman had a lengthy criminal history with convictions for attempted rape of a child, assault, vehicular prowling and malicious mischief.
Thorpe previously represented the family of David Novak, who was shot and killed by police in 2019. The city settled the lawsuit for $4 million, but admitted no wrongdoing. She is also representing the estate of Robert Bradley, who was shot and killed by police in 2022. Mr. Bradley’s fiance, represented by another attorney, received a $500,000 settlement Monday night, but the case against Mr. Bradley’s minor children remains pending in federal court.
Thorpe said in a brief interview that it is too early to tell whether he will pursue a lawsuit in Musselman’s death.
“We are still investigating, but we are concerned that his rights may have been violated,” Thorpe said. “Therefore, we will conduct a thorough investigation and determine whether any claims can be made.”
She said the Spokane Police Department has failed to reform its response to wrongful death cases in the past, and that investigations into police shootings in the area are “an absolute farce and an embarrassment to good police officers everywhere.” ” he claimed.
The Spokane Police Department declined to comment on pending litigation.
