Franklin County Coroner Bent on Inquest in Zambrano Case

Despite some rumblings from other county officials, Dan Blasdel says he still believes a coroner's inquest is necessary in the February shooting of Antonio Zambrano in Pasco.

Various media reports have indicated some Franklin County Commissioners and other officials don't believe the inquest is necessary, some for financial reasons.

But Blasdel, speaking to our news partner KNDU-TV, says that discretion and power is given by the state to the coroner - not the prosecuting attorney or others.

Blasdel believes the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting merit an examination of the evidence. An inquest is like a trial, except instead of prosecuting anyone, it serves as a fact-finding hearing. Witnesses are called, evidence presented, questions asked - just like a trial.

At the end, all the information is passed onto the prosecuting attorney, with any recommendations for possible charges or not. There's no legal precedent for prosecution from the inquest, just recommendations.

Blasdel told KNDU if the commissioners choose not to fund the inquest (which could cost over $50,000) then "there goes your check and balance."

The inquest is tenatively set for sometime in August.