SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A federal judge is expected to decide whether a Spokane police officer convicted of using excessive force in the 2006 death of a mentally ill man should be jailed immediately pending his sentencing.
Federal prosecutors sought to immediately take Karl Thompson into custody Thursday. Defense attorneys fought the motion.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for Thompson says they plan to seek a new trial.
A jury convicted Thompson of violating the civil rights of 36-year-old Otto Zehm by using excessive force and of lying about it to investigators. Zehm died two days after the encounter in a convenience store.
