Veteran SPD officer files two lawsuits against city

SEATTLE — As the widow of an officer killed in the line of duty -- and now the wife of an officer badly injured on the job, few people understand the risk assumed by an officer's family more than Renee Maher-Zieger.

"You're always prepared for something to happen," she said.

On May Day of 2016, Maher-Zieger was called to Harborview Medical Center after her husband -- veteran SPD officer Kerry Zieger -- was badly injured when large chunk of concrete thrown by a protester hit him above his right eye.

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Maher-Zieger had been to Harborview before 2016. The previous call came in 2003, when her then husband --Federal Way Officer Patrick Maher, was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Last year Maher-Zieger was re-married to Zieger. She says what happened to her current husband on May Day could have been prevented if the department had given him a more protective helmet, which she says he asked for that day.

"You kind of appreciate the reality that your loved one may not come home," she said. "But it's harder to take when the reason they're injured is that the department didn't give him the right equipment That's a feeling of betrayal."

Erica Shelley Nelson, an attorney who represents officer Zieger's, filed two lawsuits against the City of Seattle on Monday, claiming that not only did SPD fail to provide the protective helmet her firm has asked for, but she says the city has not provided documents, emails and other records requested by her law firm under the public disclosure act. She says the fine for failing to come up with the requested records is $100 each day going back 11 months.

"I think they're hiding behind some information that doesn't make them look good, that's what I think," she said. "I believe the records will show the city knew they didn't have enough high- protection helmets available that day."

Shelley Nelson said she also believes SPD has policies and procedures about officer safety which were not followed on that May Day.  It was a complete and total stonewalling from our perspective, and that's the frustrating part is that we felt, we feel very ignored during this process."

KIRO-7 reached out to SPD and the Seattle City Attorney's office Monday, and did not get a response.

Attorneys told KIRO-7 because he is still an officer with SPD, Kerry Zieger was not permitted to comment on the pending suits.

Cox Media Group