The Citizens for the Lakewood Law Enforcement Memorial Act, also known as the “Remember Lakewood” campaign seeks the public's support for an amendment to the Washington State Constitution.  The Remember Lakewood Constitutional Amendment will be on every Washington state voter's ballot on November 2, 2010 and requires a simple majority to pass.   

The Remember Lakewood Amendment would modify Article I, section 20 of the Washington State Constitution.  It would expand our Judges' ability to deny bail to defendants awaiting trial for serious crimes for which the maximum sentence is the possibility of life in prison.  Our Judges already have discretion to deny bail to defendants who are charged with a capital offense or first-degree murder.  This amendment would expand that authority to a degree.

This Constitutional Amendment would not require that these criminals be denied bail.  It would simply allow judges the discretion to deny bail in cases where the defendant faces a possible life sentence and the court finds clear and convincing evidence of a propensity for violence that creates a substantial likelihood of danger to the community.

The Remember Lakewood Constitutional Amendment was triggered by the heinous crimes committed by Maurice Clemmons on November 29, 2009 in Lakewood, Washington.  Clemmons entered a coffee shop and murdered four Lakewood Police Officers while they sat together at a table.  Just six days before Clemmons shot the four Lakewood officers, he was released on bail while facing charges of child rape, a crime that could have put him in prison for life under Washington's "Three Strikes Law."

In the Maurice Clemmons case, the judge could not deny bail because the Washington State Constitution prohibited the ability of the judge to deny bail.   Bail was set at $190,000 and Clemmons was able to work with a bail bond company and secured his release by paying just $15,000 for the bond.

Legislative History

After the tragic murders, the Governor convened a group of law enforcement leaders, who recommended an amendment to our state constitution to give judges discretion to deny bail to any persons charged with a crime that could result in a life sentence in prison.

Representative Mike Hope (R- Lake Stevens) and Representative Christopher Hurst (D- Enumclaw) championed House Bill 4220.  The bill passed the house by a vote of 92 to 4 and passed the senate by a vote of 48 to 0, thus clearing the two-thirds vote requirement in both houses that triggers a final vote of the people to amend the Constitution.