This episode (link above and below) launches a special podcast series on the case of Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson, who is the first police officer to be charged with murder since Washington voters approved Initiative 940, which changes the burden of proof for prosecution of police homicides.

A month after Nelson shot and killed Jesse Sarey in 2019, he sat down at an Auburn police substation with his lawyer to read a prepared statement on the killing. However, Nelson’s statement regarding the killing conflicts with the eyewitness’s account on key details. The Auburn Reporter has obtained audio of these statements through public records requests. Nelson is scheduled to appear in court for his trial starting July 27, 2022.

LISTEN HERE:

(Warning: This episode contains graphic language and depictions of violence)

You can also listen here on Spotify.

Stay tuned

Next week’s episode will explore Nelson’s history of violence as an Auburn police officer and why the King County Prosecuting Attorney decided to charge Nelson in the death of Jesse Sarey.

About this podcast

The King County Local Dive is a new weekly podcast that highlights headlines from Sound Publishing newspapers throughout Washington state’s largest and most diverse county. A new episode is available every Friday. Each episode features original watchdog reporting from our local journalists with a focus on how we hold our public entities and public officials accountable.

Stories for the King County Local Dive are first reported in Sound Publishing’s King County newspapers: Federal Way Mirror, Auburn Reporter, Kent Reporter, Renton Reporter, Enumclaw Courier-Herald, Mercer Island Reporter, Snoqualmie Valley Record, Kirkland Reporter, Issaquah Reporter, Redmond Reporter, Bothell-Kenmore Reporter, Bellevue Reporter and Seattle Weekly.