Oregon Public Broadcasting




Grand jury transcripts have shed more light on Portland’s latest fatal shooting involving a police officer. Officer Jason Walters told the grand jurors that in 13 years with the Portland Police Bureau, he never had a day when he was more scared at work than the day he faced Jackie Collins. 



Walters was explaining his encounter with Collins in the Hoyt Arboretum, a popular and well-trafficked public park.  His story to the grand jury was very similar to what he told police investigators earlier, save for some deeper detail on why he didn’t go for less-lethal options, like a taser or pepper spray.

Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Norm Frink explained the purpose of the grand jury.

“Grand juries focus on a narrow question: whether anybody has criminal liability out of the instance that is before them to consider," he said.


In other words: would a reasonable trial jury conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that someone had committed a crime?


For all 264 pages of transcripts, some questions remain unanswered. Witness differed on whether Collins was already smeared with blood as he rambled the trails, before his fatal interaction with Officer Walters.

That’s a detail a policeman might want to know, since Walters emphasized his surprise at Collins gory appearance, and the knife in his hand.



Still other witnesses like hiker Megan Worzalla couldn’t quite get their head around what was happening. Worzalla saw Walters fire twice at Collins. But when Collins didn’t fall over, she told herself the man couldn’t have been shot. And she walked on.
 
Finally, toxicology reports on Collins are not finished. Prosecutor Norm Frink said it’s not that those tests aren’t important. “Obviously if there’s startling new information, grand juries can be re-opened, but I think there’s a public interest in having them consider this as soon as is reasonably possible."



Frink added it’s unlikely toxicology results would have changed the outcome for the grand jury, whatever else they might mean for other investigations.
 
Since the grand jury’s work is done, the Police Bureau is moving on an internal probe of the shooting. Bureau spokeswoman Mary Wheat said, “Anytime we have use of deadly force, like this, there is an internal process, once the grand jury is completed, then the Bureau begins its process of reviewing the incident. It will be reviewed by the training division, internal affairs, on and on through the review committees, and on to the Chief.”



Portland’s Independent Police Review board will be kept in the loop for the rest of the investigation. However, since the shooting happened before City Council voted more authority for the IPR, the process goes forward under an older system. IPR is still consulting with the city attorney’s office on how its new investigative powers will work.

Read The  Grand Jury Testimony