Jury Acquits In Seattle Firefighter Memorial Assault Case

The two former Seattle firefighters who were accused of assaulting several homeless men in March have been acquitted by a jury.

Robert Howell, 47, and Scott Bullene, 46, along with Bullene’s girlfriend Mia Jarvinen, 38, were accused of assaulting several homeless persons who were hanging around the Seattle Fire Department’s Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Pioneer Square following a Seattle Sounder’s game.

At the time of the altercation, Howell and Bullene were members of the Seattle Fire Department. According to police the attack was brutal and unprovoked, sparked by a sense of outrage that the homeless men had disrespected the memorial. Bullene was injured in an ensuing altercation when one of the homeless men stabbed him in the abdomen in self-defense.

Howell, Bullene, and Jarvinsen were charged with fourth-degree assault and malicious harassment. Howell and Bullene were terminated from the fire department last August.

The trial was held in Seattle Municipal Court and began back on November 20, 2014. The defense characterized the incident as chaotic and their clients as victims.

According to the defense the incident began when Howell observed a homeless man urinating on the memorial and took offense. Upon hearing Howell reprimanding the first homeless man, another homeless man then began simulating having sex with the statute in an attempt to provoke Howell. As words were exchanged, other men then became aggressive toward the trio which prompted them to have to defend themselves.

The jury deliberated for only two hours before returning the not guilty verdicts. Sources say that jurors cited conflicting testimony in determining that the prosecution failed to convince them beyond a reasonable doubt.

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