Murmurs: Portland Cop Indicted for Protest Assault

PORTLAND COP INDICTED FOR PROTEST ASSAULT: In what appears to be a first in Portland history, a grand jury has indicted a police officer for assaulting someone at a protest. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office announced June 15 the indictment of Portland Police Officer Corey Budworth on one count of fourth-degree assault—a class A misdemeanor—for “unlawfully caus[ing] physical injury to another person” during an Aug. 18, 2020, protest. The DA’s office says it learned the complainant’s identity—a photojournalist named Teri Jacobs—when she filed a federal lawsuit against “Officer 37” last September, accusing the then-unknown cop of hitting her multiple times with his baton in the back, neck and back of the head. DA Mike Schmidt said June 15 that “no legal justification existed for Officer Budworth’s deployment of force, and that the deployment of force was legally excessive under the circumstances.” The Portland Police Association defended Budworth’s actions, calling him a “decorated public servant [who] has been caught in the crossfire of agenda-driven city leaders and a politicized criminal justice system.” The union said Budworth’s alleged baton strike to Jacobs’ head was an accident.

OREGON EVICTION DEADLINE LOOMS: Oregon’s moratorium on residential evictions is set to expire June 30. But there might be a saving grace for some tenants: The Oregon Legislature is discussing an amendment to Senate Bill 278 that would prevent evictions for nonpayment of rent for 60 days after the deadline, if the tenant shows proof they’ve applied for and are awaiting rent assistance. House Speaker Tina Kotek’s office tells WW she supports the workaround. “Speaker Kotek knows a lot of renters are still hurting despite the growing recovery,” says spokesman Danny Moran. “It would be tragic if, in these final months of the pandemic, renters lost their homes because money didn’t reach their landlords in time.” On June 15, about two dozen protesters blocked traffic along Southwest 1st Avenue, demanding the moratorium be extended. “Evictions are not only immoral because of the pandemic, they are immoral every day,” said Colleen Carol, a spokesperson for Don’t Evict PDX. “Every eviction is an act of violence, and that is not a metaphor.”

POLICE CONTRACT TALKS GO BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: The Portland Police Association announced Monday that, after 150 days of bargaining with the city, it has initiated private mediation to negotiate their contract. “The city should understand the need to reach finality on a new contract,” PPA executive director Daryl Turner said in a statement. “Pressure breeds progress and results.” Mediation, which happens behind closed doors, lasts for a minimum of 15 days. The announcement means less transparency in talks between the city and the police union on one of the most divisive issues in Portland today: the process by which the city disciplines officers accused of wrongdoing. The City Attorney’s Office said Monday it was “disappointed” by the PPA’s decision to file for mediation but that it respects state labor laws that allow the union to take that step.

MAYOR WANTS TO DINE IN PEACE: Mayor Ted Wheeler says repeated confrontations with protesters while he’s dining in Portland restaurants are something he’s come to expect—but not something he will accept. “When somebody comes into a restaurant, shouting and screaming, knocking tables out of the way, that’s crossing a whole different line,” Wheeler tells WW. “And particularly, if I’m with my child, I just call B.S. on that. That is off-limits, and if push comes to shove, I will defend my child.” In an interview on the Dive podcast by WW, Wheeler appeared to describe a June 1 confrontation at Bamboo Sushi on Northwest 23rd Avenue in which someone berated him for the Portland Police Bureau’s use of tear gas on protesters and bystanders. This week’s guest on the podcast is Commissioner Mingus Mapps. Listen at wweek.com.