Oregon city reverses vote, removes convicted murderer from police review board after backlash

After weeks of mounting backlash and nationalist outrage, the Salem City Council voted to region Kyle Hedquist — a antheral convicted of murdering a teen — from boards advising the Oregon city’s constabulary and occurrence departments, undoing a arguable reappointment approved conscionable weeks earlier.

The assembly voted 6 to 2 during a peculiar gathering to revoke Hedquist’s appointments to the Community Police Review Board and the Civil Service Commission, according to the Salem Statesman Journal.

The determination overturned a constrictive 5 to 4 ballot connected Dec. 8 that reappointed Hedquist to aggregate nationalist safety-related boards contempt a proposal from the Boards and Commissions Appointments Committee to permission the constabulary reappraisal committee presumption vacant.

Hedquist was convicted successful 1995 of murdering 19-year-old Nikki Thrasher. He aboriginal said helium feared Thrasher would study him to constabulary for hiding stolen spot astatine her home. Hedquist served astir 28 years successful situation earlier then-Gov. Kate Brown commuted his sentence, citing rehabilitation and bully behavior.

BACKLASH ERUPTS AFTER CITY COUNCIL APPOINTS POLICE REVIEW BOARD MEMBER WITH MURDER CONVICTION

Salem City Councilor Deanna Gwyn shows a representation of Nikki Thrasher, who was murdered successful 1995 by Kyle Hedquist, during a peculiar gathering to reconsider the reappointment of Hedquist to 2 nationalist information commissions connected Jan. 7, 2025. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Since his release, Hedquist became a argumentation subordinate for the Oregon Justice Resource Center and advocated for transgression justness betterment astatine the Oregon Legislature. He told the Statesman Journal helium joined Salem’s advisory boards to proceed serving his community.

His relation connected the constabulary reappraisal committee came nether renewed scrutiny aft metropolis unit acknowledged inheritance checks had not been conducted connected committee and committee members — meaning the assembly was not explicitly informed of Hedquist’s transgression past oregon fixed wide standards for however specified past should origin into assignment decisions.

Kyle Hedquist, right, attends the peculiar Salem City Council gathering to reconsider his reappointment to 2 nationalist information commissions connected Jan. 7, 2025. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Meeting records amusement assembly members were not provided guidance connected which types of transgression convictions could disqualify applicants, however overmuch clip indispensable walk pursuing a conviction, oregon whether further vetting was required for delicate nationalist information oversight roles.

The contention escalated aft the Dec. 8 vote, prompting outrage from the Salem Police Employees Union and Salem Professional Fire Fighters Local 314. The unions accused metropolis leaders of creating a "credibility crisis" by appointing and reappointing a convicted murderer to boards advising constabulary and occurrence enactment and launched a nationalist unit run urging residents to interaction councilors.

CONVICTED KILLER KEPT IN POLICE OVERSIGHT ROLE AS CITY COUNCIL DISMISSES CONCERNS OVER PUBLIC SAFETY

Kyle Hedquist gives grounds during the peculiar Salem City Council gathering to reconsider his reappointment to 2 nationalist information commissions connected Jan. 7, 2025. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

During the Jan. 7 meeting, emotions ran precocious arsenic hundreds of written testimonies were submitted and residents addressed the assembly during nationalist comment. Councilor Deanna Gwyn said she ne'er would person supported Hedquist’s assignment had she known astir his execution conviction. She held up a photograph of Thrasher and work a enactment from the victim’s precocious schoolhouse champion friend.

Hedquist addressed the assembly done tears, describing the lasting value of his transgression and his efforts astatine rehabilitation.

"For 11,364 days, I person carried the value of the worst determination of my life," helium said. "The decease of Nikki Thrasher is the gravity that pulls astatine everything I do."

His woman told councilors their household had received decease threats aft the contention went national. Other speakers some condemned and defended Hedquist, highlighting heavy divisions wrong the assemblage implicit rehabilitation, accountability and nationalist safety.

Salem City Councilor Vanessa Nordyke speaks during the peculiar gathering to reconsider the reappointment of Kyle Hedquist from 2 commissions designed to counsel the occurrence and constabulary departments connected Jan. 7, 2025. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Councilor Vanessa Nordyke, who is moving for politician against Mayor Julie Hoy, initially voted to reappoint Hedquist successful December but aboriginal called for the assembly to revisit the determination aft proceeding from constabulary and occurrence unions and members of the public. She aboriginal acknowledged she was wrong, telling the Statesman Journal she wished she had heard nationalist grounds earlier the Dec. 8 vote.

The Jan. 7 gathering besides resulted successful sweeping changes to the city’s rules governing boards and commissions.

Under the recently adopted standards, applicants to the Community Police Review Board and the Civil Service Commission indispensable present implicit transgression inheritance checks. Anyone convicted of a convulsive felony is automatically disqualified from serving connected those boards.

PROGRESSIVE-BACKED CANDIDATE CONVICTED IN MAN'S KILLING WINS CITY COUNCIL ELECTION

Salem City Council holds a peculiar gathering to reconsider the reappointment of Kyle Hedquist from 2 commissions designed to counsel the occurrence and constabulary departments connected Jan. 7, 2025. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

The assembly besides voted to reserve astatine slightest 1 spot connected the Community Police Review Board for idiosyncratic with idiosyncratic acquisition arsenic a unfortunate of a felony crime, a determination supporters said would assistance guarantee unfortunate perspectives are represented successful constabulary oversight.

In addition, the assembly expanded inheritance cheque requirements to each metropolis boards and commissions, mandating that members acquisition the aforesaid vetting process required of different metropolis volunteers and employees.

As portion of the enactment taken that night, the assembly formally withdrew Hedquist’s reappointment, leaving unfastened positions connected some the Community Police Review Board and the Civil Service Commission.

Hoy, who voted against Hedquist’s reappointment successful December and supported revoking it successful January, said successful a Facebook station that her presumption passim the contention was rooted successful governance and nationalist spot alternatively than politics.

"Wednesday night’s gathering reflected the level of interest galore successful our assemblage consciousness astir this issue," Hoy wrote. "My ballot was based connected process, governance, and nationalist trust, not ideology oregon personalities."

Kyle Hedquist sought reappointment to the Community Police Review Board aft facing scrutiny implicit a caller petition for a constabulary ride-along. He was convicted of execution and had his condemnation commuted by erstwhile Gov. Kate Brown successful 2022. (Kevin Neri/Statesman Journal / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

Hoy said the committee tasked with reviewing the assignment considered the accusation disposable astatine the clip and made a proposal to the afloat council, adding that respecting that process is indispensable to maintaining nationalist assurance and supporting metropolis staff.

"We service successful a governmental environment, but metropolis assembly does its champion enactment erstwhile decisions are grounded successful bully governance, not politics," she wrote.

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Councilor Brad Brown criticized the decease threats received by councilors and a website created to people those who voted successful favour of the appointment, calling the occurrence a debased constituent for civic discourse.

"I thought we were amended than this," Brown said.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send communicative tips to [email protected].