{"id":59945,"date":"2022-09-01T15:59:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T22:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/home2\/judge-releases-unredacted-photos-of-auburn-cops-tattoos\/"},"modified":"2022-09-01T15:59:00","modified_gmt":"2022-09-01T22:59:00","slug":"judge-releases-unredacted-photos-of-auburn-cops-tattoos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/northwest\/judge-releases-unredacted-photos-of-auburn-cops-tattoos\/","title":{"rendered":"Judge releases unredacted photos of Auburn cop’s tattoos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t\t
A judge released unredacted photos of Auburn Police Officer Jeffrey Nelson’s tattoos during a pretrial hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 31. Nelson is awaiting trial for the murder and assault of Jesse Sarey in 2019.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Previously, Judge Nicole Gaines Phelps had ordered 38 photos of Nelson’s tattoos to be redacted prior to being released to the public on grounds they would bias the jury pool. Nelson’s defense previously objected to the release of the photos, but during the hearing on Aug. 31, the defense withdrew that objection.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
During the hearing, prosecuting attorney Mark Larson asked the court to allow photos of Nelson’s tattoos as evidence, arguing they have probative value because they offer insight into how Nelson engages with policing.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
Nelson’s defense argued his tattoos have no probative value and are meant to prejudice the jury. After hearing arguments from both sides, Judge Phelps said she would return with a decision on whether to allow the photos among other evidence into the trial in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t
What are these tattoos?<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t Most of the tattoos that were previously redacted consist of phrases in English and Latin, and many are concerned with death.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t “Protect the innocent,” is tattooed vertically on Nelson’s right calf, with “punish the deserving” in a larger font wrapped around his right ankle. A tattoo on his left ankle reads “memento mori,” which is a Latin phrase that roughly means “remember you have to die.”<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t