Someone who locks a homeowner out of their house and steals their property would be criminally charged. But when landlords illegally lock out tenants and dispose of their belongings, law enforcement typically dismisses it as a “civil dispute,” not a crime. That double standard makes a recent Island County jury verdict all the more remarkable.
Earlier this year, an Island County jury found landlord Nancy Griffin guilty on criminal charges of theft in the first degree, theft in the second degree and two counts of theft of a firearm. But guilty verdicts like Griffin’s are extremely rare. Why?
Read more in this Everett Herald commentary by NJP’s Scott Crain and Matt Brady.