Stuters File Complaint of Harassment

7/12/02 - Stevens County, WA - The Stuter family of Suncrest in Southern Stevens County have filed an official complaint concerning the conduct of deputies in the south Stevens County area.

"Stevens County deputies have now engaged in the practice of creeping by our home in their cruisers at a turtles pace.  Since, in over seven years of ongoing, premeditated and incited harassment, the Stevens County Sheriff's Office has done nothing but aid and abet the
perpetrators, we can only conclude that their driving by our home in such manner is being done as a further act of harassment.

"This latest joins, among others, Stevens County Sheriff's deputy John Bowers who decided he, in a community as large as Suncrest is, just had to jog by our home and a Stevens County Sheriff's deputy hazing a member of our family with his cruiser.

"The Stevens County Sheriff's Office has given us no reason to believe these incidents are anything other than what they appear to be — the Stevens County Sheriff's Office involved in the harassment of our family in direct violation of our civil rights.

"We have no doubt the Sheriff's Office will claim we are being unreasonable; that they are 'just doing their job.'  Unfortunately, all anyone need do is look at their track record, both as it concerns the ongoing, premediated and incited harassment of our family, and concerning the conduct of deputies, to know that simply isn't true.

"The positions of Sheriff and Prosecutor come up for election this year. We hope the good people of Stevens County will see fit to not return Craig Ellis Thayer and John "Jerry" Wetle to the positions of Sheriff and Prosecutor.  These individuals should not be in a position of public trust.  It's long past time the good 'ole boy network in Colville be dispensed with."

The Stuters say they continue to monitor activity on the street in front of their home.

"We have no choice.  The Stevens County Sheriff's Office and Prosecutor's Office have made it very clear they condone the behavior of those involved in and behind the harassment of our family.  If our persons or property have to be protected and defended, it will be up to
us to do it.  Just like September 1999, we have no reason to believe they will respond in a timely manner or deal with the situation appropriately.

"And we are very cognizant of the fact that should that need arise, the Stevens County Sheriff's Office and Prosecutor's Office will target us and lie, lie, lie.  They've already done it once.  Why should we expect anything different?"

For more about this case, click here.