New trial date set in anti-harrassment case
http://www.selahnews.com/articles/410/1/New-trial-date-set-in-anti-harrassment-case/Page1.html
Martha Goudey
By Martha Goudey
Published on 06/23/2008
A trial date for Wylie Mills, a former Selah contractor, has been
rescheduled for July 30 in a case that has its roots reaching back at
least ten years.
A trial date for Wylie Mills, a former Selah contractor, has been rescheduled for July 30 in a case that has its roots reaching back at least ten years.
Mills was arrested in February 2008, for violating an anti-harassment order against City Supervisor Frank Sweet. Mills is not allowed within 100 feet of Sweet’s place of employment, which is Selah City Hall.
Sweet filed the original anti-harrassment order June 12, 1998. Mills said Sweet alleged that he had threatened Sweet with his life, a charge Mills has denied.
Former Chief of Police, Rick Gutierrez, was the arresting officer in the February incident, and according to Gutierrez, the arresting officers numerous times.
In February, Mills came to the police department to ask Gutierrez to deliver paperwork to City Hall. This was a procedure Mills had worked out to conduct business with City Hall. Because Gutierrez was unavailable, Mills went directly to City Hall and handed his request to City Clerk Treasurer Dale Novobielski, Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said he was called approximately an hour later and was told that Mills was in violation of the no-contact order. Gutierrez arrested Mills.
Mills was in court Wednesday for a jury trial, with Mills requesting the appearance of at least 40 people in the case.
Gutierrez and Bill Teaford were present in the courtroom to testify if called.
“I was subpoenaed, and I’m here,” Gutierrez said. “But my victim, Frank Sweet, is not here.”
Sweet and Novobielski had also been subpoened, but did not appear in court.
Frank Sweet said in an interview Thursday that the prosecutor told him and Novobielski to “stay by the phone,” and that he would call them if they were needed.
Mills asked Judge Ralph Thompson why his subpoenaed witnesses, including Sweet and Novobielski weren’t present in court.
Thompson then told Mills he would be given an opportunity to develop his case, reversing an earlier decision, in which Thompson denied Mills the right to call the more than 40 witnesses who did not appear to be relevant to the no-contact order.
When prosecutor Jared Boswell objected, Thompson said that it was important to Mills to develop his side of the case.
“I’m willing to eat my words (and reverse my earlier decision),” Thompson said, quoting Winston Churchill’s comment that he ate his words and found a “wholesome diet.”
Mills also served the prosecuting attorney, Jared Boswell, with a lawsuit, claiming that Boswell interfered with the witnesses Mills had subpoenaed.
Boswell said the lawsuit was baseless.
Mills told the judge he would present a list of witnesses to Thompson on July 23 with his reasons they are relevant to the case.
Boswell did not return a call to his office.
Mills was arrested in February 2008, for violating an anti-harassment order against City Supervisor Frank Sweet. Mills is not allowed within 100 feet of Sweet’s place of employment, which is Selah City Hall.
Sweet filed the original anti-harrassment order June 12, 1998. Mills said Sweet alleged that he had threatened Sweet with his life, a charge Mills has denied.
Former Chief of Police, Rick Gutierrez, was the arresting officer in the February incident, and according to Gutierrez, the arresting officers numerous times.
In February, Mills came to the police department to ask Gutierrez to deliver paperwork to City Hall. This was a procedure Mills had worked out to conduct business with City Hall. Because Gutierrez was unavailable, Mills went directly to City Hall and handed his request to City Clerk Treasurer Dale Novobielski, Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said he was called approximately an hour later and was told that Mills was in violation of the no-contact order. Gutierrez arrested Mills.
Mills was in court Wednesday for a jury trial, with Mills requesting the appearance of at least 40 people in the case.
Gutierrez and Bill Teaford were present in the courtroom to testify if called.
“I was subpoenaed, and I’m here,” Gutierrez said. “But my victim, Frank Sweet, is not here.”
Sweet and Novobielski had also been subpoened, but did not appear in court.
Frank Sweet said in an interview Thursday that the prosecutor told him and Novobielski to “stay by the phone,” and that he would call them if they were needed.
Mills asked Judge Ralph Thompson why his subpoenaed witnesses, including Sweet and Novobielski weren’t present in court.
Thompson then told Mills he would be given an opportunity to develop his case, reversing an earlier decision, in which Thompson denied Mills the right to call the more than 40 witnesses who did not appear to be relevant to the no-contact order.
When prosecutor Jared Boswell objected, Thompson said that it was important to Mills to develop his side of the case.
“I’m willing to eat my words (and reverse my earlier decision),” Thompson said, quoting Winston Churchill’s comment that he ate his words and found a “wholesome diet.”
Mills also served the prosecuting attorney, Jared Boswell, with a lawsuit, claiming that Boswell interfered with the witnesses Mills had subpoenaed.
Boswell said the lawsuit was baseless.
Mills told the judge he would present a list of witnesses to Thompson on July 23 with his reasons they are relevant to the case.
Boswell did not return a call to his office.