Why Washingtonâ•Žs Deadly Weapon Criminal Sentencing Enhancement
COMMENTS Dead Wrong: Why Washington’s Deadly Weapon Criminal Sentencing Enhancement Needs “Enhancement” James Harlan Corning* “Let it be said that I am right rather than consistent.”1 – Justice John Marshall Harlan I. INTRODUCTION The early 1990s saw a sharp increase in gun violence directed to- ward Washington’s law enforcement community.2 In the summer of 1994, the Puget Sound region was stunned by three separate, unrelated acts of violence against police officers and their families. On June 4th of that year, Seattle Police Detective Antonio Terry was gunned down on * J.D. Candidate, Seattle University School of Law, 2012; B.A., Social Sciences, University of Washington. I am profoundly grateful to Professor Laurel Oates, who inspired this Comment through a fascinating legal-writing assignment in my first semester of law school and who has con- stantly encouraged, mentored, and advised me during my law school journey. I am deeply indebted to the staff of the Seattle University Law Review for their support; in particular, I thank Mike Costel- lo, Joan Miller, Jacob Stender, Kyle Trethewey, and many others for giving so much time and effort to this piece. Lastly, I thank my incredible family and friends—and especially my wonderful fiancé, Eric Wolf—for their unwavering love, support, encouragement, and patience in all things. 1. Quoted in TINSLEY E. YARBROUGH, JUDICIAL ENIGMA: THE FIRST JUSTICE HARLAN 77 (1995). 2. Ignacio Lobos, Deputy’s Death Another Reminder of Dangers of Law Enforcement Jobs, SEATTLE TIMES, Aug. 17, 1994, http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=1994 0817&slug=1925831.
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