OLYMPIA — The state Supreme Court has ruled that King County prosecutors can seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing a Seattle police officer who lived in Marysville.
In a unanimous ruling on Thursday, the high court overturned a February King County Superior Court ruling that had found that Prosecutor Dan Satterberg’s decision to seek the death penalty agatinst Christopher Monfort was invalid because he relied on a mitigation investigation by his office, rather than wait for evidence from the defense. The Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty notice, and sent the case back to the trial court to proceed.
Monfort is accused of killing Officer Tim Brenton and wounding another officer as they sat in a patrol car Oct. 31, 2009, as well as setting fires to police cars earlier that month.
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