Seattle police to look at whether department discouraged release of video

Seattle police have launched an internal investigation into whether department members sought to discourage a media outlet from airing video of an April 17 incident in which two Seattle police officers were caught on video kicking and stomping a Latino man.

The Police Department is already conducting a criminal investigation into the actions of the two officers.

Thursday, the department said its Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) became aware Wednesday of information published by a local media outlet alleging that unidentified department members "tried to exert influence over another media outlet, specifically discouraging that media outlet from disseminating the April 17th video." The OPA conducts the department's internal investigations.

The statement didn't identify either media outlet.

But on Wednesday, The Stranger newspaper published on its website what it described as allegations by a current unidentified employee of KCPQ-TV. The employee said station management complied with requests of "friends at SPD" not to air the footage to preserve the station's long-term working relationship with police.

Last week, Seattle police said they were contacted April 17 by someone at KCPQ-TV hours after the incident was captured by a freelance videographer.

Interim Police Chief John Diaz said then that the station's news personnel didn't think the video constituted a major issue. But Diaz said it was up to police commanders to decide if an incident rises to the level of possible misconduct.

KCPQ-TV did not immediately air the footage, which Diaz said commanders first viewed after the videographer posted it on YouTube.

Diaz said an assistant chief called him at home April 24 to tell him about the video, saying there was a use-of-force issue and racially insensitive language.

The department said it opened an internal investigation April 26, which was put on hold when the case was referred Monday to a Seattle police detective for a criminal investigation.

The video was aired on KIRO-TV on May 6, triggering an outcry from Latino groups and expressions of concern from Mayor Mike McGinn and the City Council. A newly formed commission of minority organizations called for the firing of the two officers Tuesday.

The videographer, Jud Morris, has claimed KCPQ-TV refused to air the video because it has too cozy of a relationship with law enforcement. After KIRO aired the video, KCPQ put it on the air; station managers later said they hadn't suppressed the video and had been investigating it.

Last week, the station's senior assignment editor was fired and the station's news director resigned.

In the April 17 incident, the video shows police detaining three men suspected in a robbery.

Gang-unit Detective Shandy Cobane can be heard telling a Latino man lying on a sidewalk, "I'm going to beat the [expletive] Mexican piss out of you, homey. You feel me?"

In the video, after the man moved a hand to his face, it appears Cobane is trying to stop the movement with his boot but ends up striking the man's head. The man reacts, his head flinching upward.

Moments later, patrol Officer Mary Lynn Woollum is seen stomping on the back of the man's leg or knee.

Cobane has since apologized for his words that night. Diaz has said racial and ethnic slurs are unacceptable in the department.

Two of the three men, including the one who was stomped and kicked — identified as Martin Monetti, 21, of Seattle — were later freed. The third was arrested.

Seattle police said May 14 that the conduct of other officers, including a supervisor, who were present but did not intervene also was the subject of an internal investigation.

It was not immediately clear if that aspect is now part of the criminal investigation and has been put on hold internally.

In Thursday's statement announcing the inquiry into contacts with the media outlet, the department said the OPA, since first learning of the April 17 incident, has been concerned about the department's "inability to get immediate access to the video from that evening."

The FBI has launched a preliminary investigation to determine if Monetti's civil rights were violated.

Seattle Times reporter Emily Heffter contributed to this report, which includes information from Times archives.

Steve Miletich: 206-464-3302 or smiletich@seattletimes.com