Former Pasco cop wants coroner removed from inquest

PASCO, Wash. (AP) — A former Pasco police officer involved in the fatal shooting of a Mexican immigrant last year is asking a judge to remove the Franklin County coroner from an inquest into the man's death.

Ryan Flanagan's attorney filed the request Monday in Superior Court.

The Tri-City Herald reports that Flanagan is concerned about comments Coroner Dan Blasdel has made in the death of Antonio Zambrano-Montes.

Johnson is asking a judge to take over the coroner's inquest, which is scheduled to begin May 23 at Columbia Basin College in Pasco.

Zambrano-Montes died after the officers shot at him 17 times while he was throwing rocks at police and passing cars. The shooting was captured on cellphone video and went viral.

Franklin County Prosecutor Shawn Sant declined to prosecute the three officers involved.