Christopher Monfort jailed after release from hospital

The man suspected of killing a Seattle police officer on Halloween night was released from the hospital Wednesday and booked into King County Jail.

Christopher Monfort, 41, spent more than a month in Harborview Medical Center after he was shot by Seattle police outside his Tukwila apartment Nov. 6. His family says he was paralyzed.

King County Jail spokesman Maj. William Hayes declined to comment specifically on Monfort but said that if someone is brought to the facility with "major medical problems," he or she will be housed in the infirmary.

The King County Prosecutor's Office on Tuesday said Monfort's arraignment had been postponed to Monday at 8:30 a.m. It was the third time his arraignment had been delayed.

Defense attorney Julie Lawry said she planned to visit Monfort in the Seattle jail Wednesday. "This is the first opportunity the defense has had to meet with their client privately since he was arrested more than a month ago," Lawry said.

Monfort has been charged with one count of aggravated murder, three counts of attempted first-degree murder and first-degree arson. The arson charge and one of the attempted-murder counts stem from the Oct. 22 firebombing of four Seattle police vehicles at a city maintenance yard.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg has not decided whether he will seek the death penalty against Monfort.

Police Officer Timothy Brenton, 39, and rookie Officer Britt Sweeney, 33, were seated in their parked patrol car about 10 p.m. Oct. 31 when police say Monfort drove up next to them and opened fire. Brenton died immediately, and Sweeney suffered minor injuries.

According to court documents, on the day of Monfort's arrest, three Seattle homicide detectives confronted him at his apartment. The documents say he twice aimed a gun at officers before police shot him.

Monfort's attorney has filed a motion asking that Monfort be dressed in nonjail clothing for all court appearances, that he not be in handcuffs or shackles in the courtroom and that his face not be photographed during his arraignment or other pretrial proceedings. A hearing on that is scheduled for this morning.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.