Pasco shooting inquest called off after county funding dispute

The Franklin County coroner is threatening to take county officials to court if commissioners don’t agree to pay for an inquest into the fatal police shooting of a Pasco man last year.

Coroner Dan Blasdel announced Thursday that the inquest, which was scheduled for later this month, has been temporarily called off because commissioners won’t pay for the hearings.

Blasdel plans to move forward with the inquest into the death of Antonio Zambrano-Montes, 35, even if that means a potential legal battle, he said.

“(The commissioners) are overstepping their authority,” Blasdel said. “The (law) is very clear that the coroner has the authority to call an inquest whenever it’s needed and the county has to pay for it. It’s black and white.”

The board sent a letter to Blasdel last week notifying him the county will not foot the bill because the coroner never submitted a budget for the inquest and funds have not been approved.

The letter notified Blasdel, citing state law, that he could be held personally responsible for spending county money on an inquest that isn’t approved by the commissioners.

The inquest, the letter said, isn’t the best use of taxpayers’ dollars because a cause and manner of death in the case has been determined, and prosecutors elected not to file criminal charges against the police officers.

Inquests, which are rare for this area, are primarily called in unusual death cases where there are unanswered questions. Jurors, after hearing evidence presented by a prosecutor, help decide the cause of death and if anyone is criminally responsible, among other things.

“In this case, you have already determined the cause of death, as reported on a death certificate,” the letter said. “Moreover, the county prosecutor has already announced a charging decision, thus negating the necessity of holding an inquest to assist the prosecutor in making a charging decision.”

The commissioners’ statement is the latest twist in the saga of the inquest.

Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant has repeatedly spoken out against the inquest, saying it is unnecessary. And Benton-Franklin Superior Court judges previously wrote Blasdel a letter saying he could not use a courtroom for the proceedings.

The coroner plans to hold the proceedings at TRAC in Pasco and hire security.

Sant told the Herald he will not participate in the inquest and a special prosecutor would be needed, which could cost anywhere between $40,000 and $60,000.

Blasdel is intent on holding the inquest to show transparency to citizens, media and others who have an interest in the highly publicized and controversial shooting, he said.

Not having the inquest, Blasdel said, gives the wrong impression to everyone following the case.

“I get calls and emails everyday from people saying, ‘stick by your guns, don’t let them push you around, ” Blasdel said. “It look likes everybody is trying to cover something up.”

Commissioner Brad Peck strongly disagreed with Blasdel’s suggestion that county officials are trying to hide facts of the case.

“I’m embarrassed on his behalf that he would make that comment,” Peck said.

The intent of the letter was not to notify Blasdel that commissioners won’t fund an inquest, Peck said. Rather, the board is saying it won’t authorize funds for the inquest until Blasdel proposes a budget to commissioners.

“I would strongly encourage him to come meet with the board, request budget authority and go through the normal process,” Peck said. “I certainly will give him more than a fair hearing.”

The Latino Civic Alliance, a state organization, spoke out Thursday against the commissioners’ letter.

The organization supports recent state legislation, Senate Bill 6295, that would require courts to provide a coroner who calls an inquest with a courtroom and staff for the proceedings, something that currently is not required.

The commissioners’ letter shows the board has a disconnect with citizens in Franklin County, especially in the Latino population, and a “lack of concern” over the death of Zambrano-Montes, said Nina Martinez, chair of the organization, in a news release.

“It is apparent that the Franklin County commissioners have chosen to defy state law and the wishes of stakeholders,” the release said. “It is also evident the commissioners are against transparency of the judicial system, and we question their motives.”

Blasdel has no estimate on the cost of the inquest, only that TRAC will cost $7,500 to rent and security will be $25 an hour.

The coroner will wait to see if he can reach an agreement with commissioners before hiring an attorney, he said.

“I’m going to do whatever I have to do to get this inquest,” he said.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 12:59 PM with the headline "Pasco shooting inquest called off after county funding dispute."