County officials discuss streamlining inquest hearings and a new multidisciplinary review panel; prosecutors raise concerns about parallel processes

King County officials described a move to a streamlined fact‑finding inquest process and creation of a multidisciplinary review panel to examine systemic issues following deaths involving law enforcement, while the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office cautioned parallel inquest proceedings may complicate criminal investigations and public confidence.

David Hackett, counsel to the King County Executive, summarized the county’s history of inquests and the rationale for recent changes. The county’s charter requires inquests for many deaths involving law enforcement, and in response to criticism of prior procedures the executive adopted an updated approach in early February that aims to shorten hearings to factual presentations and to route broader policy and practice recommendations to a nine‑member review panel, informally described in the briefing as a "deadly incident review and recommendation panel." Hackett said the new process limits…