Wash. to pay $3M settlement for killings by ex-con
CENTRALIA, Wash. (AP) -- Washington state has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a lawsuit over the killings of three people by an ex-con in 2010.
The families of the victims -- 16-year-old Salkum resident DJ West and his father David, along with 50-year-old Tony Williams of Mineral -- alleged that the Department of Corrections did a terrible job monitoring the con, even though he was supposed to be closely supervised.
The Centralia Chronicle reports that the families' lawyer, Nathan Roberts of Tacoma, said the DOC didn't do any of the field checks or drug tests required of the offender, John Allen Booth Jr., or of another ex-con convicted in connection with the crimes, Ryan J. McCarthy.
The DOC launched an internal investigation and fired the corrections officer who was supposed to be supervising them.
Booth is serving life without parole.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.