Public Defenders Ask Seattle To Stop Prosecuting Misdemeanors

SEATTLE, WA — A letter signed by the King County Department of Public Defense, the American Civil Liberties Union and a dozen other organizations calls on Seattle to stop prosecuting most misdemeanors and redirect funding toward other methods of community support.

"In order to stop the systemic and violent oppression of Black and Brown people, we must not only defund police, we must also defund the system that criminalizes poverty and legitimizes police violence," the letter reads in part. "This means divesting from a criminal legal system that is racist, ineffective, and expensive, and recognizing that a community-led response is the best way to secure the health and safety of the community."

The letter, sent Monday by DPD director Anita Khandelwal, goes on to ask Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes to use his discretion to end prosecution for most minor crimes. It then urges the Seattle City Council to make cuts to the Seattle Municipal Court's probation department.

"The money saved from these reforms must then be reinvested in our communities," the authors write. "For the individuals who continue to be charged with crimes in Seattle Municipal Court, the Court should become a leader in restorative justice responses in the community to help communities heal rather than further traumatize through the use of destructive incarceration."

Khandelwal's letter classifies several categories of misdemeanor offenses — including theft, criminal trespass, harassment and assaults without significant injury — as "crimes of poverty" that could be better addressed through alternative, community-led support programs.

Community organizations point to Seattle Municipal Court's caseload — nearly 6,600 last year — which included prosecutions for stealing food or clothing. The misdemeanor cases prompted more than 30,000 hearings and millions in associated costs.

If the reforms are enacted and fewer people incarcerated, the letter says, Seattle could also renegotiate its King County jail contract, which currently costs $18 million annually.

"This money should be reinvested in badly needed community resources and supports that, unlike our current legal system, have proven to be effective in responding to behavioral health needs and improving community health and well-being."

Dan Nolte, a spokesman for the city attorney's office, told Patch that Holmes plans to respond directly to the letter before making a public statement.

"Pete would like to provide a response to this thoughtful letter before he responds in the press," Nolte said. "He sees Ms. Khandelwal and these respected signatories as partners in criminal justice reform, and they reserve a fuller response from him first."

Read the full letter below: