Racially charged prosecution warrants retrial

SEATTLE — The Washington Supreme Court unanimously ordered a new trial in a criminal case after finding the prosecutor engaged in “race-based misconduct ... so flagrant and ill-intentioned” that reversal of the conviction is necessary. The prosecutor called white witnesses “Good Samaritans” but said nothing of the Black witness who tried to deescalate the incident at the heart of the case, and repeatedly asked witnesses about the “nationality” of the Black defendant, a U.S. citizen, in a manner rising to the level of prejudicial.