Pierce County pays deputy $950,000 over prosecutor lawsuit

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — Pierce County Council members have voted to pay one of the last legal bills associated with former Prosecutor Mark Lindquist.

The News Tribune reports that by a unanimous vote Tuesday, members agreed to pay $950,000 to retired sheriff’s deputy Glenda Nissen, ending an 8-year battle over Lindquist’s text messages and associated claims that he retaliated against Nissen for criticizing him politically.

In 2011 Nissen sought access to text messages from Lindquist’s private phone. The case traveled to the state Supreme Court and back, leading first to a ruling requiring disclosure of the messages. The messages revealed Lindquist’s attempts to manipulate online reactions to a news story regarding Nissen.

A second lower-court order required disclosure of nine more text messages and found Lindquist had violated the state public Records Act.

Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/pierce-county-pays-deputy-95000-over-former-prosecutor-lawsuit/