Lake Stevens wins 49-14; advances to 4A semifinals
SUNDAY, 11.22.2015
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Inmate crime scene wiped Prison officials’ handling of evidence in assault-turnedhomicide made investigation difficult and violated DOC rules, according to review. By Eric Stevick Herald Writer
MONROE — When detectives arrived to investigate a vicious assault at the Monroe Correctional Center in May, they expected to examine the crime scene. They couldn’t. There wasn’t one. When a Monroe Police Department detective inquired about the dearth of physical evidence, the lieutenant on duty inside the Special Offenders Unit reportedly told him: “I have a facility to run.” He’d ordered photos be taken and had the area cleaned up shortly after the May 9 attack. The inmate was stomped on and never regained consciousness. On Gordon May 14, five days “Casey” after the attack, Powell Gordon “Casey” Powell, 45, was taken off life support at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett. He died four days later. The assault turned into a homicide investigation and a charge of aggravated murder. The decision to mop up the blood violated state Department of Corrections policy that requires
PHOTOS BY IAN TERRY / THE HERALD
Glacier Peak sophomore Alyssa Jordan (center) organizes donated food products into bags Friday, before boxing and shipping them to U.S. soldiers stationed in Kuwait and Iraq. The effort is part of the school’s annual holiday fundraiser for the military.
So many ways to give Glacier Peak HS students Adopt a Soldier, motivated by stories from vets
See DEATH, Page A7
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . E3 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . D7 Dear Abby. . . . . . . . . . . . D7 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . D7 Lottery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Glacier Peak senior Thaovi Nguyen puts handwritten notes in envelopes to be included in boxes shipped from the school.
By Amy Nile and Kari Bray
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Herald Writers
lwood Barker, a U.S. Army veteran from Arlington, remembers brief escapes from the bleak and brutal days of fighting on the front lines during World War II. Relief came with the letters, photos and packages he received from the states. “I don’t think there’s anything better,” said Barker, 91. “It’s a taste of home.” Student leaders in Snohomish are working to bring that comfort to U.S. troops serving overseas this holiday season. The teens are stuffing packages and writing messages as part of the Adopt a Soldier program at Glacier Peak High School. In Barker’s day, parcels had to be mailed months ahead of time to reach GIs for the holidays. He recalls receiving Christmas cookies in February of 1946. “I think the mailman must have played basketball with that package,” he said. The cookies were crushed. But Barker and his fellow soldiers scooped up crumbs and ate them anyway. They relished anything from home, even stale cookies, he said. The students at Glacier Peak are motivated by stories of how receiving something from home matters to those serving abroad, said Teri Corwin,
How will you give back? A list of Snohomish County charitable groups and organizations, Pages A8-A9 the teacher overseeing the Adopt a Soldier project. She teaches leadership classes at the school. Volunteers are readying nearly 100 packages and hundreds of cards to send to troops this year. The contents of the packages can be as simple as a fresh pair of black socks to change into on a hot, humid day or a book of puzzles to pass the time. Soldiers have asked for Tabasco sauce to spice up their meals. They want eye drops to flush away sand or dust and paperback books to read in their down time. Jerky, hard candies and powdered drink mixes such as Gatorade and instant coffee are also hot commodities. The cards, though, might be the most important piece of the packages. It was word from home that kept Barker going See GIVE, Page A7
Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A10 Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D6 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . B5 Viewpoints . . . . . . . . . . . B7
FEAST FOR FAMILY
FLIGHT SCHOOL
SHOP AROUND
Recipes galore for Thanksgiving Day festivities. Good Life, D1
Don’t let your bird feeder be a death trap. Outdoors, E1
Your guide to the best credit cards of 2015. Success, A10
Shivery 45/35, C8
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VOL. 115, NO. 283 © 2015 THE DAILY HERALD CO.
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