Legal Battle Over Seattle Property Continues with Contempt Orders and Funding Hopes

Yohannes Sium, the attorney representing the plaintiffs Erwin Chappelle, Clarence Williams, and Cardell Thompson (Photo: Susan Fried)

By Omari Salisbury

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A complex legal battle involving a Seattle property and the Seattle Black Firefighters Association (SBFFA) continues to unfold, marked by court hearings, contempt orders, and disputes over hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds. Yohannes Sium, the attorney representing the plaintiffs Erwin Chappelle, Clarence Williams, and Cardell Thompson, provided an update on the ongoing proceedings, highlighting both delays and potential avenues for resolution.

The case revolves around the sale of a property the court recently ruled was contemptuous and illegal and issues concerning the exclusion of retired members from the association. According to Sium, the court found the defendants in contempt on January 31st for “basically illegally selling the house and violating her past court orders.” A subsequent written order was issued on February 3rd, with the only outstanding issue being whether to reverse the sale.

However, the legal process has been far from straightforward. A scheduled hearing on February 25th was delayed due to the defendant's attorney citing health issues and technical difficulties with attending the hearing via Zoom. The hearing was delayed to March 7th but saw further complications as attorneys for the buyer and the finance company submitted letters instead of formal legal documents. “They wrote a letter to the judge, which is, frankly, against the court rules,” Sium stated, expressing frustration over the delays. “That’s not proper. That’s not before the court.” The court was forced to delay the hearing to May 2, when the judge will finally decide whether to reverse the illegal sale of the SBFFA House.

Sium also detailed the financial aspects of the case. The plaintiffs argued that funds from the sale, totaling over $600,000, should be placed in a separate trust account. This includes $210,000 paid as a commission to the defendant's attorney. “My clients argued that $210,000 should be put into the trust account and not held or just spent by Mr. Macklin, the defendants’ attorney,” Sium explained. The judge granted the motion to hold the roughly $420,000 still in the SBFFA bank account in trust pending the decision to reverse the sale. The judge refused to disgorge the $210,000 in commission still in attorney Macklin’s bank account.   

The Defendants’ motion to reconsider the initial contempt order will be decided on March 28th. A hearing on May 2nd will determine whether to reverse the sale. Sium also noted an ongoing appeal and a possibility of an investigation by the Attorney General.

Despite the complexities and delays, Sium remains optimistic. “I still feel fairly confident that justice will be done, that we will get this property back, that we will develop this corner we have,” he said. He emphasized the importance of community engagement and the impact it has on the proceedings and in compelling the City to fund the retention and development of SBFFA’s property. “The community has made an enormous impact, making the judge, you know, pay special attention to this. The Attorney General pay attention to this.”

As the legal battles persist, the future of the property and the SBFFA remains uncertain, but with ongoing community support and legal efforts, Sium and his clients remain hopeful for a favorable outcome.