SEATTLE (AP) - The Washington State Supreme Court has unanimously ruled Thursday that the Department of Corrections did not commit gross negligence in supervising a serial domestic abuser who murdered his girlfriend in Auburn two weeks after he was released from prison.
The Seattle Times reports Scottye Miller was found guilty of murder in 2013 and was sentenced to 50 years in prison for stabbing Tricia Patricelli over 20 times.
Patricelli’s mother, Cathy Harper, filed a lawsuit against Corrections in 2014, alleging Miller’s corrections officer did little to supervise him.
The lawsuit was dismissed by a King County Superior Court judge after DOC successfully argued its actions didn’t amount to gross negligence. Harper appealed to the state Court of Appeals, which reversed that ruling.
DOC then appealed to the state Supreme Court.
Harper didn’t return a phone call Thursday and one of her attorneys declined to comment.
___
Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.