Columbia Basin College has 'donated' the use of a room large enough for the  much-delayed coroner's inquest into the fatal shooting of a man who was throwing rocks and threatening passers-by and motorists last year in Pasco.

After first proposing the idea of an inquest into the fatal shooting last summer, Franklin County Coroner Don Blasdell will get the hearing.

An inquest is similar to a trial, where all the facts, figures, witnesses etc are put forth for a judge and jury to hear. But no convictions are generated, just a recommendation if charges should be brought against any of the parties involved.

Blasdell had been trying since July 2015 to get the space, but after examining Franklin County court and other facilities, looking at TRAC, CBC offered the necessary space for the inquest.

It will take place May 23, and in a move that will save Franklin County tens of thousands of dollars Columbia County Prosecutor Rea Culwell has volunteered to work as special prosecutor. The county won't have to hire such an official to present the evidence to jurors.

Antonio Zambrano was fatally shot near the intersection of 10th and Lewis in Pasco after fleeing from police and resisting arrest. He pulled taser prongs out of his arms, and officers were unable to subdue him. They'd been called after reports came in of a man running up and down the street, throwing rocks at motorists and passers-by. His autopsy showed levels of meth that some reports say would have killed many people.

Franklin County Prosecutor Sean Sant was against the coroner's inquest, and declined to prosecute the officers involved after a Special Investigations Unit spent months combing through the case, which garnered national attention.

Blasdell, in 2015, indicated to Newstalk870 his goal was to prove transparency and the county 'got it right' in the shooting investigation, and the inquest would prove that was correct.

 

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