Washington state sued over parolee's crimes

OLYMPIA -- Washington state is being sued over a rape and murder committed by Michael John Braae, 48, a former country singer known as "Cowboy Mike," while he was on parole.

In a case seeking unspecified damages, survivors of Lori Jones, 44, of Lacey accused the state Corrections Department of disregarding a judge's order to tighten supervision of Braae a year before she was killed.

Entire article available at the link above.

Rape, murder, aggravated assault, eluding an officer... Braae was charged, tried, found guilty, and then placed on parole after serving several years.

The paroling judge, Christine Pomeroy, ordered "community supervision" - but the state Corrections Department instead placed him on the lowest level of supervision, that did NOT require visits with probation officers, disregarding the judge's order.

And now Lori Jones is dead.

I wish her family Godspeed in this lawsuit.