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By Karen Koehler
Senior Managing Partner

Today, I testified for the 1 minute allowed by the Seattle City Council on the issue of lifting bans on using blast balls, flash bangs, and other munitions against protesters.

Before testifying, I wrote a long letter with 23 illustrated stories of some of the 51 clients we represented during the peaceful BLM protester case against the City that resolved for payment of $10M.  That letter also included a list written by the City as part of the settlement, which documented all the positive changes it was making to crowd control – none of which included continuing to use weapons of mass harm.

I told them this law firm has handled the highest-profile protest cases against the city of Seattle for years, including WTO which led to the consent decree and now BLM.  And that they should spend more than one minute talking to me.  Because we have spent years looking at the police department and its failures, these weapons, and how seriously they injure innocent members of the public.

Why on earth wouldn’t the council take me up on this offer?

Written Comment re: Public Testimony: January 14th Public Safety Committee

About the Author
In the mid-2000’s an opponent told me that other defense attorneys were calling me The Velvet Hammer™”.   When asked why he said: because you smile so sweetly while you are hammering us into the ground.  I thought that was funny and adopted the name.