Yakima County pays double murderer $4,500 in settlement over public records request

YAKIMA (AP)  -  Yakima County has agreed to pay $4,500 to a double-murderer over public records violations.

Anthony Sanchez is serving a 50-year sentence for shooting two unarmed men in Toppenish seven years ago.

He filed a records request for documents related to his case. When he appealed the county's decision to entirely redact 104 pages, officials ignored him, and he sued.

Don Anderson, the county's chief civil deputy prosecuting attorney, explained to the Yakima Herald-Republic some of the documents were improperly redacted and the $4,500 settlement approved by county commissioners is cheaper than fighting the case.

Sanchez will be provided all documents wrongfully redacted.

The 27-year-old owes more than $50,000 in restitution for his murder convictions.