KENT, Washington – Jury selection kicked off on Monday for the trial of a suburban Seattle police officer facing murder charges related to the death of a 26-year-old man outside a convenience store in 2019.
Officer Jeff Nelson from Auburn is accused of fatally shooting Jesse Sarey during an attempted arrest for disorderly conduct, where the encounter lasted only 67 seconds. This incident marked the third person killed by Nelson while on duty.
Prosecutors highlighted surveillance footage from nearby businesses, stating that Nelson engaged in a physical struggle with Sarey, striking him multiple times and ultimately shooting him twice. Following the first gunshot to the upper abdomen, as Sarey lay wounded on the ground, Nelson cleared a jam from his firearm, glanced at a witness, then proceeded to shoot Sarey in the forehead.
This case reflects the changing landscape in Washington since 2018 when voters made it simpler to prosecute police officers by eliminating the requirement of proving malice. Instead, prosecutors now must demonstrate that the use of force was unreasonable or unnecessary. Last year, three Tacoma officers were acquitted in the death of Manuel Ellis.
Nelson contended in a written statement that he perceived Sarey as a threat wielding a knife before the initial shot and claimed Sarey appeared poised to lunge at him. Pleading not guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault charges, Nelson, an Iraq War veteran, joined the Auburn department in 2008.
Auburn city paid Sarey’s family $4 million to settle a civil rights claim and settled other lawsuits over Nelson’s conduct with nearly $2 million. In the case of Isaiah Obet, whom Nelson killed in 2017, the city paid $1.25 million to the family. Obet, allegedly involved in break-ins and a carjacking attempt, was confronted by Nelson, who released his police dog before shooting Obet in the torso and then in the head as he tried to get up from the ground.
Furthermore, Nelson shot and killed Brian Scaman in 2011, a Vietnam vet with a history of mental health issues and felonies, during a traffic stop over a broken headlight. Scaman, armed with a knife, was shot by Nelson after refusing to disarm.
The trial will take place in the King County Superior Court under Judge Nicole Gaines Phelps at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, expected to span multiple weeks. The judge has prohibited jurors from hearing about Nelson’s past use of deadly force or Sarey’s drug history.
The Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, responsible for certifying police, is considering disciplinary action against Nelson, citing a pattern of disregard for others’ rights.