USA: Seattle cop seen joking how Jaahnavi Kandula’s life had ‘restricted worth’ after she was killed by a rushing police automobile

A bodycam video of a Seattle police Department union chief has gone viral on social media. He was heard joking concerning the demise of an Indian scholar by a police cruiser as she was crossing a avenue. 23-year-old Jaahnavi Kandula was killed within the accident on twenty third January 2023. Kevin Dave was the officer whose rushing automobile had hit Kandula, leading to her demise. Kandula was from Andhra Pradesh.

As per the stories, Dave was driving his automobile at 119 KMPH (74 MPH) whereas responding to an overdose name. On his method to the scene, he hit Kandula, who was crossing the street. Daniel Auderer, a drug recognition knowledgeable, was assigned to the case to judge if Dave was impaired. Following the accident, Auderer referred to as the guild President, Mike Solan, to tell him what occurred.

Initially, Auderer reported the officer was driving his automobile at 50 MPH and was not “out of control”. However, later, the police investigation discovered that the automobile was at 74 MPH when it hit Jaahnvi. She was thrown over 100 ft away.

The recording of the bodycam was launched on Monday by the Seattle police division. In the video, Auderer might be heard laughing and suggesting that Kandula was 26, and her life had “limited value” and that town ought to simply “write a cheque” value USD 11,000.

In a press release, the police division stated that the video was recognized “in the routine course of business by a department employee, who, concerned about the nature of statements heard on that video, appropriately escalated their concerns through their chain of command to the Chief’s Office which, following a review of the video, referred the matter to OPA for investigation into the context in which those statements were made and any policy violation that might be implicated.”

Assistant Director of Operations on the Office of Police Accountability Katie Maier stated in a press release that the workplace acquired a grievance on 2nd August from an worker with the Seattle Police Department, and an investigation was initiated into the matter.

In the video, Auderer stated, “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26, anyway… She had limited value.” Notably, Kandula was 23 on the time of the accident. Solan’s remarks weren’t recorded within the video. In a written assertion supplied by Auderer to Seattle’s Office of Police Accountability, he stated Solan had lamented the demise. He additional claimed that his feedback have been “intended to mimic” how town’s attorneys may attempt to decrease the legal responsibility for Kandula’s demise.

According to KTTH-AM host Jason Rantz, who obtained a replica of the written assertion, Auderer wrote, “I intended the comment as a mockery of lawyers. I laughed at the ridiculousness of how these incidents are litigated and how I watched these incidents play out as two parties bargain over a tragedy.”

The station additional reported that Auderer acknowledged anybody listening to his assertion with out context to the dialog would “rightfully believe I was being insensitive to the loss of human life.” Auderer claimed to have reported himself to the accountability workplace after “realizing his statement was recorded”.

Kandula was purported to get her grasp’s diploma in data techniques from the Seattle campus of Northeastern University in December 2023. Her physique was transferred to India for the final rites by her uncle Ashok Mandula, who lives in Houston. Speaking to Seattle Times, Mandula stated, “The family has nothing to say except I wonder if these men’s daughters or granddaughters have value. A life is a life.”

In July, the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s workplace launched bodycam footage of Kevin Dave on the general public information request of Fox 13. In the video launched by Fox 13, Dave might be seen performing CPR as the primary responders began displaying up on the scene. Dave might be seen passing crimson lights at excessive speeds slowing down periodically when he hit Kandula. 

In a bodycam video of one other officer, Dave was heard saying, “Lights were on. I was chirping the sirens.… she was in the crosswalk. She saw me, she started running through the crosswalk. Slammed on my breaks. Started staying back where she should before crossing. I can have a hundred minutes. I could have… there’s nothing for me to do right now but sit. And that is the f–king worst thing that…you just have to sit here. So many questions that are unanswered, so many questions.”

The Seattle Police Department stated they’re in contact with Kandula’s household as a part of the investigation.