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NEWS Jury Reaches Verdict in Cranston Trial

Barry Washington’s killer learned he was found guilty on all counts except second degree murder, but plans to appeal

By Jack Harvel and Nicole Vulcan

ADeschutes County jury has reached a verdict in the trial against Ian Cranston, the man who shot and killed Barry Washington during a fight outside a bar in downtown Bend in September 2021. "I'm pleased to have some sort of justice for my son, it's been very hard and hopefully, it's just something that will bring a little bit of closure. I'm just so happy that I know that the jurors were — this was a hard case — I'm happy that they didn't side with the self-defense. And they've seen the truth, and I'm just happy to have some sort of Justice," Lawanda Roberson, Washington's mother, told reporters outside of the Deschutes County Courthouse.

The jury declared Cranston guilty on the counts of first-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter as well as Assault 1 and two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, but not guilty on the count of second-degree murder—the most serious of the charges Cranston faced.

According to Oregon law, first-degree manslaughter is defined as an act "committed recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life." That one charge is punishable for a minimum of 10 years. Cranston's Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 28. Cranston's attorney says they plan to appeal. "There were a number of legal rulings in the case that we are going to be addressing through the appellate process, but that time is to come," said Kevin Sali, Cranston's defense attorney.

Cranston said that on Sept. 19. 2021, he was smoking outside of The Capitol in downtown Bend when Washington approached his group and called his fiancee Allison Butler beautiful. Cranston said he was initially polite when asking Washington to move along. Cranston said Butler rebuffed Washington, who continued talking to her, and that Cranston intervened after sensing her discomfort.

Throughout the trial Cranston's attorneys sought to show that Cranston felt threatened and shot Washington out of self-defense. The prosecution maintained that Cranston had his ego bruised and shot Washington out of retaliation.

During closing arguments on Tuesday, defense attorneys displayed an explosive video from nearby surveillance cameras that captured Cranston taking a puff of a cigarette before moving to render aid to Washington, who lay bleeding on the sidewalk. Prosecutor Michael Swart said, "Clint Eastwood couldn't have been prouder."

In a statement today, District Attorney John Hummel said:

“Today is not a day to rejoice, nor is it a day to celebrate. Today is a day of accountability for Ian Cranston and it is day 424 of Barry Washington’s family and our community mourning his passing. By all accounts, Barry was a dear friend to many and a wonderful son to Lawanda Roberson. This verdict does not provide Ms. Roberson what she ultimately wants, but hopefully knowing that the residents of Deschutes County valued Barry’s life provides her some comfort moving forward.”

Supporters of Washington gathered outside of the courthouse and led chants after the verdict, and cheered in support when Washington's family exited the courthouse. Washington's family joined demonstrators in a march to the corner of Oregon Avenue and Wall Street, where the shooting took place and where a makeshift memorial to Washington has been erected and maintained. Roberson and other family members thanked the demonstrators as well as activist groups the Central Oregon Peacekeepers and The Father's Group, who have marched from the courthouse to the corner of Oregon and Wall throughout the trial. "I've been with him since diapers, I've been with him with Easter baskets, I've been with him since the first day of us being able to come home together and losing him has been one of the worst experiences I've had in my life, I wouldn't want anybody to ever go through anything like that," Deja Tillman, Washington's first cousin, told marchers. "But I thank you guys for being here, and I'm happy with the fact that there was something served."

Jack Harvel

Demonstrators march to the area where Barry Washington was shot after a jury reached a verdict in the trial of Ian Cranston.

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Gun Control Passes, Questions Remain

Oregon passed one of the strongest gun control measures in the country with Measure 114, but a lot of the processes called for in the measure remain unclear

By Jack Harvel

Courtesy of Bob Bobas via Flicker

People in the market for a firearm will have to have a permit and some of these will need lower-capacity magazines under Oregon Law under Measure 114.

Oregon Measure 114, a bill that establishes a permit-to-carry system, limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds and closes a loophole allowing someone to get a gun without a background check if it takes more than three days to process, passed with 50.68% of the vote and is expected to be implemented on Dec. 8.

Oregon joins nine states with a permit-to-purchase system, only one of which, California, requires some sort of firearm training courses before a permit is granted — though Washington requires a firearm course to buy semiautomatic rifles. Oregon’s permits would be active for five years before expiring and the cost is capped at $65 initially and a $50 renewal.

Though these safety courses could be necessary to purchase a gun as soon as Dec. 8, the contents of the firearm safety course aren’t clear. When asked about the measure, the Oregon State Police said it is working with legal counsel to resolve questions on the measure. Meanwhile firearm trainers said they’ve received little information on the classes.

“There is no guidance,” said Patrick Combs, a firearm instructor who runs Deschutes Firearms Training. “I don’t know if it’s going to be a premade program, or if they’re just going to kind of give a framework and you need to stay within that framework.”

The measure faced a near-immediate legal challenge by the Oregon Firearms Federation, the Sherman County sheriff and a gun store owner claiming the measure infringes on Second Amendment rights. Oregon sheriffs in Sherman, Linn, Jefferson and Wallowa counties have said they won’t enforce the laws. Others, including the Crook County sheriff and Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson said the measure will be a low priority for their offices.

Prior to the bill passing, Nelson asked voters to reject Measure 114 in a video he recorded in his role as president of the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association. He said the measure would take up alreadyscarce resources from law enforcement agencies to establish and oversee a permitting system, estimating that the program would have a $30 million deficit statewide. The Oregon State Police and Oregon Justice Department both estimated the system would be close to cost neutral. “Oregon already has a strong background check process before a person purchases a firearm. This measure will create a duplicate background system that further reduces law enforcement resources,” Nelson said.

As the implementation date approaches, more people are buying guns before the uncertainty kicks in. On average the OSP’s instant check background check request processes about 849 checks a day, but that number has soared to over 4,000 daily checks, according to police.

“Sales have been through the roof. I’ve never seen anything like it in the state of Oregon,” said Sharon Preston, owner of Ladies of Lead, a Redmond-based gun store and training program catering to women.

Preston also said there’s confusion over what happens when the law is implemented to the currently pending background checks. Magazine capacity is also a point of the bill that’s been challenged. The United States Supreme Court vacated California’s large-capacity gun magazine ban in June, meaning a lower court will have to revise its ruling, but doesn’t necessarily rule capacity limits unconstitutional.

Though the new measure could complicate the process of buying a gun for gun owners, advocates point to fewer homicides, suicides and mass shootings in states that use a licensing program. The Giffords Law Center said studies show homicides decreasing by 28% and suicides by 33% in Connecticut after passing licensing laws, and that states with licensing laws have 56% fewer mass shootings.

“This win for Measure 114 is a huge turning point – we have shown the country that voters do want serious action on gun violence prevention,” said Chief Petitioner Rabbi Michael Cahana in a press release after Measure 114 passed. “Hopes and prayers are not enough when your neighbors are bleeding, when action is possible, and you have the power to do something. And tonight Oregonians took action, utilized the power of democracy, and achieved something remarkable, a victory for other states to follow.”

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El jurado llega a verdicto en el jucio de Cranston

Culpable de todos los cargos —Exepto de asesinato en segundo grado

Por/By Jack Harvel Traducido por/Translated by Jéssica Sánchez-Millar

Un jurado del municipio de Deschutes llegó a un veredicto en el juicio contra Ian Cranston, el hombre que disparó y mató a Barry Washington durante una pelea fuera de un bar en el centro de Bend en septiembre de 2021.

“Estoy satisfecha por tener algo de justicia para mi hijo, ha sido muy difícil y ojalá sea algo que traerá un cierre a mi vida. Estoy muy contenta al saber que los miembros del jurado estaban, este fue un caso difícil y estoy contenta de que no se pusieron de lado de la autodefensa. Y han visto la verdad, y estoy feliz por vivir un tipo de justicia,” dijo Lawanda Roberson, madre de Washington, a los reporteros afuera del tribunal del municipio de Deschutes.

El jurado declaró culpable a Cranston por los cargos de homicidio involuntario en primer y segundo grado así como por asalto de primer grado y dos cargos por el uso illegal de un arma, pero no culpable por el cargo de asesinato en segundo grado, el cargo más grave de los cargos enfrentados por Cranston. De acuerdo con la ley de Oregon, el cargo de homicidio involuntario en primer grado se define como un acto “cometido imprudentemente bajo circunstancias que manifiestan extrema indiferencia hacia el valor de la vida humana.” Ese cargo es penado con un mínimo de 10 años. La sentencia de Cranston está programada para el 28 de noviembre. El abogado de Cranston dice que planean apelar.

“Hubo varios fallos legales en el caso que abordaremos por medio del proceso de apelación, pero ese momento está por llegar,” dijo Kevin Sali, el abogado de defensa de Cranston.

Cranston dijo que el 19 de septiembre 2021, estaba fumando afuera de The Capitol en el centro de Bend cuando Washington se acercó a su grupo de acompañantes y llamó hermosa a su prometida Allison Butler. Cranston dijo que al principio fue cortés cuando le pidió a Washington que se alejará. Cranston dijo que Butler rechazó a Washington, quien continuó hablando con ella y que Cranston intervino después de verla incomoda.

Durante el juicio, los abogados de Cranston intentaron mostrar que Cranston se sintió amenazado y que le disparó a Washington en defensa propia. La fiscalía sostuvo que Cranston tenia herido su ego y le disparó a Washington para desquitarse.

Durante los argumentos de clausura del martes, los abogados de defensa mostraron un video explosivo de las cámaras de vigilancia cercanas que captaron a Cranston dándole una fumada a su cigarro antes de acercarse para auxiliar a Washington, quien estaba sangrando tirado en la banqueta. El abogado defensor Michael Swart dijo, “Clint Eastwood no podría haber estado más orgulloso.”

En la declaración de hoy, el fiscal de distrito, John Hummel dijo:

“El día de hoy no es un día para alegrarse, ni es un día para celebrar. Hoy es un día de rendición de cuentas para Ian Cranston y es el día 424 de duelo para la familia de Barry Washington y para nuestra comunidad. Por lo visto, Barry fue un querido amigo para muchos y un hijo maravilloso para Lawanda Roberson. Este veredicto no le brinda a la Sra. Roberson lo que quiere al final, pero ojala el saber que los habitantes del municipio de Deschutes valoraron la vida de Berry le traiga algo de consuelo para salir adelante.

Los simpatizantes de Washington se reunieron afuera del juzgado y cantaron después del veredicto y celebraron para apoyar a la familia de Washington cuando salieron del juzgado. La familia de Washington se unió a los manifestantes en una marcha a la esquina de la Avenida Oregon y de la calle Wall., en donde ocurrió el tiroteo y en donde se ha levantado y sostenido un conmemorativo improvisado para Washington. Roberson y otros miembros de la familia le agradecieron a los manifestantes, así como a los grupos activistas de Central Oregon Peacekeepers y a The Father’s Group, quienes han marchado desde el juzgado hasta las esquina de las calles Oregon y Wall durante todo el juicio.