A Seattle police officer, Daniel Auderer, defended his callous remarks and laughter about the death of a graduate student, Jaahnavi Kandula, who was fatally struck by a police cruiser while crossing the street. Auderer claimed his comments were taken out of context during a private call he didn't know was being recorded. The officer had just responded to the fatal crash and was speaking with the Seattle Police Officers Guild President when he made the remarks. Auderer stated that his comments were intended as a mockery of lawyers and the legal system, but acknowledged that they could be interpreted as horrifying and crude without context. The incident is being investigated by the Seattle Office of Police Accountability and the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.
Shocking bodycam footage has emerged showing a Seattle police officer, identified as Daniel Auderer, laughing and making insensitive remarks about a woman, Jaahnavi Kandula, who was struck and killed by a patrol car in January. The officer was responding to a priority-one call and was driving at 74mph in a 25mph zone. The incident was ruled an accident, and the officer was returned to duty. The footage, released by Seattle Police, shows Officer Auderer insulting and laughing about the victim during a phone call just hours after the incident. An investigation is now underway by the Office of Police Accountability.
The Seattle Police Department is investigating two union leaders after body-camera footage captured an officer joking about the death of a young woman who was struck by a police cruiser earlier this year. The officer, who is also the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, was heard laughing and making insensitive remarks about the victim. The incident is being investigated by the Seattle Office of Police Accountability and the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. The case comes after the end of federal oversight of the Seattle Police Department, and has drawn criticism from police oversight organizations for its dismissiveness towards accountability systems.
