SEATTLE — A Washington man who was acquitted of a murder charge after two years in jail has sued the King County Sheriff’s Office and two detectives.
The Seattle Times reports Rodney Wheeler filed the lawsuit saying police used false statements and selective evidence to charge him with a crime.
Wheeler’s attorneys say sheriff’s detectives Eleanor Broggi and Matthew Olmstead made false statements and omitted facts that would have undermined allegations made in search warrants and charging documents.
Authorities charged Wheeler with the August 2016 shooting death of Oregon construction worker Justin Love outside a SeaTac hotel. A second hotel guest was wounded by a stray bullet.
The judge in Wheeler’s January 2019 trial suppressed witness statements and criticized prosecutors for withholding evidence that would have helped his defense.
