Lawyers for victims of the deadly 2014 Oso landslide say the state of Washington has engaged in a “shocking” cover-up to hide evidence. The allegation, first reported by The Seattle Times, comes just five weeks before the state goes on trial.
In a 33-page court filing, the lawyers said subject matter experts hired by the state of Washington made a “secret pact” to delete all emails they sent each other. But some emails survived and the lawyers said they reveal the experts changed their opinions in order to protect the state’s interests.
The lawyers also alleged the decision to delete emails was made at a meeting that included representatives of the state Department of Natural Resources and the Attorney General’s office. The AG’s office said it will review the allegations and respond soon to the court.
The lawyers for the victims are asking the judge in the case to impose “severe sanctions” and exclude the experts from testifying at trial.
The Department of Natural Resources did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
