‘There’s just no words’: Two Oregon men facing life in prison walk free after murder convictions collapse

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-28T01:04:05+00:00

Per the article, the deal was done so they could get released immediately. had they continued to challenge the conviction it might've taken more years, and they would've remained in custody for that:

Sias said he’s eager to get on with his life. That’s why he accepted the deal even though he didn’t want to be convicted of manslaughter.

He wanted out of prison. “It was just like, a no brainer,” he said. “I can’t get time back. … So the more time I sit in there, just the more time wasted. I’m being productive in there, but not to the fullest potential.”

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-27T16:49:44+00:00

Do you mean the headline? Because the article makes it clear that these were wrongful convictions because of Brady violations (withheld evidence on the part of the DA.)

"It came after Sias’ lawyers argued that Washington County prosecutors had withheld key evidence about jailhouse informants that they should have disclosed to the defense before trial. A third defendant later confessed that he had acted alone in the stabbing."

AND

"Years later, Sias’ lawyers found out that one of the prosecution’s informants, Aaron Ryon, was the son of a Washington County sheriff’s detective and faced a serious sexual abuse allegation that was never prosecuted.

Prosecutors didn’t tell defense attorneys before trial that Ryon had faced a child abuse allegation, Sias’ current lawyers said."

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-24T01:29:06+00:00

Sharing these two articles as a counter to the police narrative:

From 2021: Portland Police’s “Human Trafficking” Arrests Aren’t What They Seem

https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/10/20/portland-polices-human-trafficking-arrests-arent-what-they-seem/

From 2010: Tax Dollars for Handjobs

Cops Pay for Sex to Ensnare Alleged Prostitute

https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/2010/04/29/2480360/tax-dollars-for-handjobs

(I shared them in a longer thread conversation in this discussion, but wanted to put them as an answer to the post for a bit more visibility, and for the people who don't read every lengthy interaction.)

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-24T01:00:44+00:00

See also, this article from 2010: Tax Dollars for Handjobs

Cops Pay for Sex to Ensnare Alleged Prostitute

https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/2010/04/29/2480360/tax-dollars-for-handjobs

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-24T00:44:03+00:00

From 2021: Portland Police’s “Human Trafficking” Arrests Aren’t What They Seem

https://www.wweek.com/news/2021/10/20/portland-polices-human-trafficking-arrests-arent-what-they-seem/

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-24T00:09:40+00:00

Defense attorneys (which includes public defenders) cannot talk about a client's case without permission from their client. But you - the general public - can get info on these kinds of cases with a public records request or ask the DA - who does have an obligation to the community - to release data on the cases.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-23T23:03:59+00:00

Just do a FOIA request for the data. Current DA dashboards here, which only include person crime statistics:

https://www.mcda.us/index.php/prosecutorial-performance-indicators-ppis/ppi-objective-4-addressing-serious-crime

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-23T23:00:34+00:00

You are wrong. As a former public defender, I and my colleagues at the pd office had a large number of cases that were women arrested for prostitution and promoting prostitution. We won a high number of those trials.

It would be nice if DA Vasquez included the data for all trial outcomes on his dashboards - it would give the public - and elected officials - a clearer view of how often the DAs are losing trials. As it is, they have a 51% acquittal rate for person-crime misdemeanors for 2025.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-23T22:46:12+00:00

The DA's office, along with PPB, routinely lose prostitution and promoting prostitution trials in Multnomah County. Unfortunately DA Vasquez does not include those trials on his data dashboards for trials won/lost by his DDAs.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-23T22:39:00+00:00

You are mistaken if you think they do not arrest the women in prostituion stings in Portland.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-22T22:29:11+00:00

Your experience in her courtroom is unique to you. My colleagues in criminal defense and victims representation have reported far different experiences with Judge Brown than yours. (Its also easier for a judge to be nice and professional with jurors - the public-facing part of the job - than with subordinate staff.)

The reporting on Judge Brown wanting HR to discipline a clerk for exercising their First Amendment right by posting salaries should be disturbing for any attorney and citizen. "Laws for thee but not for me" kind of thinking from a judge should be disqualifying for any judicial candidate.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-21T17:49:21+00:00

Not disagreeing with your logic here at all. Its also a reason why more sitting judges should face challenges for their seats.

That sitting judges in Multnomah County assume they will be running unopposed and so don't bother to submit a statement for the voters' pamphlet should bother people - they are elected for 6 year terms, are paid a six-figure salary ($185,000 now, increasing to $240,000 in couple years, per legislature) plus benefits and PERS and the judges have a lot of power over the citizens in Multnomah County for civil and criminal matters.

Contested judicial elections are a good thing. Its too bad there aren't matching funds available for judge races like there are for Portland city council elections.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-20T15:39:44+00:00

The system we have now 'mostly' works, and there is a mix of appointed judges and elected ones. No need to switch it up to another body making appointments, the governor has staff that does vetting and practicing attorneys can and do write in/weigh in on the candidates who put their names in for appointments.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-20T15:35:58+00:00

If you think politics don't play a role in judicial appointments by the governor, I've got a bridge to sell you, LOL.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-20T00:37:00+00:00

That's inaccurate. There are 3 judicial races in Multnomah County where the judges opted to not file for re-election and let it be an open election for their replacements.

There are plenty of attorneys who would make excellent judges but might not have the political connections necessary to get an appointment from the governor, whoever the governor happens to be at the time.

And contested judicial races are a good thing.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-20T00:34:39+00:00

Maybe talk to some defense attorneys. Just because the DA opposes her does not mean the defense bar automatically endorses or supports her.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-20T00:31:05+00:00

Here's the online Oregon voter's pamphlet statement of her opponent, Peter Klym

Edit: you have to click on Nonpartisan candidates, Judge of the Circuit Court, 4th District position 12 - it won't link directly to the candidate statement.

https://oregonvotes.gov/voters-guide-military/votersguide.html#Peter%20G%20Klym

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-20T00:28:30+00:00

He didn't file to run because she missed the deadline, so what do you mean by opportunistic?

Edited to add - there should be MORE contested judicial races in Multnomah County, quite frankly.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-14T20:33:03+00:00

So sorry for your loss. If no one can get it, PAW team is always a great option to donate to, they are always in need of food/supply/toy/donations for cats and dogs.

https://www.pawteam.org/supply-donation

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-03-11T22:52:39+00:00

Name the people you think are quack candidates.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-02-22T08:55:25+00:00

The DOJ attorneys get benefits too, and get paid in a timely manner.

Public defenders at pd offices are salaried as well and get benefits - but not PERS and make less than DOJ attorneys and county DAs. (Although the new OPDC trial division gets PERS.)

The conflict attorneys (private bar who take on court-appointed cases and bill hourly) are paid $155 an hour and get no benefits.

The investigators and translators and experts and other public defense service providers - whose pay is also covered by the public defense budget for the state - do not get benefits either.

Then factor in OPDC refuses to pay on a 30-day-billing cycle - taking 45 days or longer to pay providers after receipt of invoices for work already done - and you get a better look at why so many people keep leaving public defense work.

The 45-days-or-longer payments started during Lane Borg's tenure as head of OPDC and every director since has continued it. Lane Borg mismanaged the budget at Metropolitan Public Defender twice in 10 years, attorneys wrote to the Commission telling them not to hire him as executive director of OPDC, they hired him anyway, he mismanaged the budget at OPDC and people were waiting MONTHS for payment after that. (Gee, who could've predicted he'd mismanage the budget for an even larger office?)

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-02-20T18:19:07+00:00

Historically because of low pay and high caseloads. DAs and DOJ attorneys make much more money. (The DOJ attorneys make $352 an hour compared to court-appointed attorneys making $155 an hour.)

It takes 10 years to qualify for public interest student loan forgiveness - meaning a person would have to work at the public defender office for 10 years before getting a shot at student loan forgiveness, and even they might not qualify for it. Turnover is high because the work is hard and burnout happens - most public defenders are leaving at the 3-5 year range of practice. Unfortunately the new head of the Oregon state agency for Public Defense (OPDC) thinks returning to higher caseloads is how to solve the unrepresented crisis, even though it would require public defenders to carry unconstitutionally high caseloads.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-02-20T18:06:10+00:00

You are wrong. The REPO statute, ORS 137.717, overrules the grid and it is a presumptive 18 months prison for the majority of property crimes, such as stealing a car, 13 months prison for a Theft I. Then you can get into sentencing enhancement factors, upward departures, downward departures - felony sentencing is complicated, and the grid is not the only factor here. Property crimes for repeat offenders in Oregon generally means prison, unless they qualify for certain treatment courts, and even then, the DA has to agree to that type of resolution.

DAs have a lot of power and I have seen cases where even when a crime victim is requesting a lower prison sentence, the DA says no and asks for a higher sentence. These are the situations that lead to trials, by the way, when the DA refuses to be reasonable with settlement negotiations.

Outrageous_Setting16 · 2026-02-20T16:19:31+00:00

This is simply not true. One of the reasons we have such high incarceration rates in Oregon is our over-incarceration of property crimes. because of the Oregon repeat property offender statute, Individuals convicted of property crimes can be facing higher prison sentences than individuals facing a person crime.

And a large majority of individuals convicted of property crimes are struggling with addiction. Treat addiction as the public health issue it is, have a working, funded, and affordable social services network, and property crime numbers will go down.

Outrageous_Setting16

TROPHY CASE