Slain woodcarver is focus of activists' ceremony

More than 100 community activists met at the Chief Seattle Club on Friday night to talk about ways to attain justice for slain woodcarver John T. Williams — including a possible recall campaign against the King County prosecutor, Dan Satterberg.

They said the meeting was convened to begin healing after Satterberg decided against bringing charges against Seattle police Officer Ian Birk for shooting Williams, a member of Canada's First Nations.

Birk resigned this week. Some at the meeting said they want to see Satterberg go, too. "Recall! Recall!" was the refrain as the forum got under way.

A panel of community leaders called for a range of reforms. City Councilman Bruce Harrell said police should wear lapel-mounted cameras. "You can't train your way out of all of this. We need accountability," he said.

The meeting at the club, a nonprofit serving urban native people, was intended as the first of many to hear the community's ideas to improve police accountability and public safety.

"We need to make Seattle safe again," said Claudia Kauffman, a former state senator and Nez Percé tribal member. "We have an opportunity to stand on the wings of John and make Seattle a safe place."

The panel included representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union, the Community Relations Office of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Seattle Human Rights Commission, which organized the forum.