The officer’s problems on the force were uncovered and reported

After the hearing, Stemler continued to decline to discuss the allegations or to even publicly identify the officer.
Mestel said prosecutors had given him formal notice regarding concerns about Wellington.
The officer’s problems on the force were uncovered and reported by The Herald after his behavior during a June 2011 arrest led to a $100,000 settlement in a civil rights lawsuit.
Among other things, public records show Wellington was the focus of at least six internal investigations between 2009 and 2012 and is working for the force under a “last-chance” employment agreement.
A former Lake Stevens police chief also wrote that he found Wellington “unreliable and untrustworthy” and prone to half-truths.
The case against Walker relies heavily on forensic evidence, and that always brings into question the actions of police and the chain of custody, Mestel said.
“If you’re dealing with the integrity of people who are part of the chain, obviously that’s an important issue,” he said