Inmate's overdose is being investigated

The state Department of Corrections and Monroe police are investigating an inmate's fatal overdose.

Jade Jefferson, 25, was found dead in his cell at the Monroe Correctional Complex on Jan. 9.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office said Jefferson, who was serving time for robbery and theft, overdosed on methadone, according to corrections spokesman Gary Larson.

Methadone is commonly used to treat drug addiction, but not at Monroe. However, it is sometimes given to inmates suffering severe pain, Larson said.

Guilty plea entered after drug crime

A man who earlier this year pleaded not guilty to allowing his motel to be used as part of a five-year conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to a lesser felony of failing to report the commission of a crime.

Maninder Singh Khatkar, 46, admitted he had concealed his knowledge of the fact that others were using a parking lot at the Daffodil Motel in Milton — a property Khatkar owned — to offload and transfer a shipment of 23 kilograms of cocaine in February 2004.

The actual charge to which Khatkar pleaded guilty is known as "misprision of a felony." He faces 21 to 27 months when he's sentenced June 23.

The maximum punishment for the initial drug charges was life in prison.

Three other defendants — Rajinder Singh Johal, Lakhwinder Singh Johal and Dindyal Singh Jaswal — were charged as co-conspirators in an indictment returned by a Seattle federal grand jury last month. Under his plea agreement, Khatkar is not obliged to cooperate with the government, said Bob Leen, his attorney.

Safeway will pay less than half of the $96,000 penalty it originally faced for water-quality violations at its Auburn distribution center, the state Department of Ecology announced Wednesday.

Safeway and the state agreed to a $40,000 settlement after Safeway challenged the original fine, according to an Ecology Department announcement. Some $30,000 will go toward improvements on two acres of the Auburn Environmental Park, on open space off Highway 167. The remaining $10,000 will go to the state's Coastal Protection Fund for environmental projects around the state.

The initial fine stemmed from water-quality violations by a contractor at the Safeway site on Northwest Ellingston Road during construction.

2 more families sue Magnetix toy maker

Two more families have sued the maker of Magnetix toys, saying their children were severely injured after swallowing magnets that came loose.

The families of Marcell McNeil of Tacoma and Kyle Booke of Oak Harbor say in their complaints filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court that the company, RoseArt, should have included warning labels about swallowing the magnets. The families seek a halt to production of the toys and for payment of medical expenses.

Kyle Booke was recovering at Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center in Seattle two weeks ago when doctors publicly issued a warning about the Magnetix toys.

If swallowed, the magnets can cause blood poisoning and other complications. A Redmond toddler died last fall after swallowing several Magnetix magnets. His family also has sued RoseArt, a subsidiary of Mega Bloks of Montreal.

Mega Bloks did not return calls Wednesday.

Dem candidate drops out of race

Debi Golden, a course designer at Bellevue Community College, has dropped out of the state Senate race in the Eastside's 48th Legislative District, saying her primary contest against state Rep. Rodney Tom would have been "pointless but nonetheless expensive."

Her decision comes two weeks after Tom said he was quitting the Republican Party to run as a Democrat for the 48th District Senate seat against Republican incumbent Luke Esser. Golden had been running against Esser for several weeks and suddenly faced a primary challenge.

Tom also received the support of many party leaders, though Golden initially said she would stay in the race.

Times staff and news services