King County Prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges against Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave in the January 2023 death of Jaahnavi Kandula. Officer Kevin Dave was driving his Ford Sport Utility Vehicle at 74mph when he hit Kandula. Kandula used a crosswalk. Officer Dave was responding after receiving a call that a third person had overdosed cocaine. The speed limit is 25mph.
Media attention was drawn to the case because Officer Daniel Auderer left his body cam on when he spoke with another police officer. Auderer could be heard on the body cam laughing and saying “Eleven thousand dollars. She was only 26. She had limited value.”
The prosecutors’ decision not to press charges against Officer Dave is not surprising. Qualified immunity is a form of immunity that allows government officials to take certain decisions while on the job without facing any liability. Officer Dave was driving well over the speed limit, but he was doing so to potentially save a person’s life. Officer Auderer’s statements are callous, cruel, and unacceptable, but prosecutors cannot punish Dave for what another man said about the tragic incident. However, Auderer’s statements…
