A beloved Mercer Island teacher was accused twice of sexual misconduct with students. The school district kept it quiet.
Gary "Chris" Twombley was put on administrative leave in December 2023
Criminal Justice
New mothers can stay with their babies at this Washington prison
The state’s prison nursery is one of only a few in the country intended to support incarcerated mothers amid a simmering debate on crime and drug use.
Over 100 detainees go on hunger strike against poor conditions for immigrants at Tacoma detention center
Over 100 people are refusing meals at the privately-run Northwest Detention Center, which has a history of controversy and similar strikes.
Oregon’s public defense crisis leaves defendants to navigate legal system on their own
A ruling by a federal judge targets those in custody without attorneys, leaving thousands of Oregonians charged with crimes on their own.
The climate crisis is pushing Washington’s prisons to the brink
Many of Washington’s 12 prisons have been pushed to the brink by public health crises and years of neglected maintenance. Climate change could send them over the edge.
Idaho has obtained lethal injection chemicals. Where did they come from?
Department of Correction officials previously struggled to obtain lethal injection chemicals, leading to bill to allow firing squad as alternative under Idaho law
Indigenous people in WA incarcerated at higher rates than any other group, data show
The disparity between Indigenous and white incarceration in Washington has roughly doubled over the past decade.
Washington lawmaker vows to fix law that’s failing to help victims of child sex trafficking
Stakeholders discuss solutions in response to InvestigateWest article uncovering law’s failures
Recent court case sheds light on ‘punitive, para-military atmosphere’ at women’s prison
An officer, who encouraged a “code of silence,” tried to keep a tasing incident quiet
He’s in a prison cell, with no criminal conviction. Idaho put him there for mental health care.
Legislature will consider Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s proposal for a $24M secure facility — one that isn’t a prison
Oregon Supreme Court says people convicted by split juries deserve new trials
The ruling could mean hundreds of cases will be retried or dropped
At least one juror refused to call them guilty. But they’re still in prison.
In Oregon and Louisiana, hundreds remain behind bars two years after U.S. Supreme Court outlawed split-jury verdicts
