Spokane County Sergeant sues Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich for defamation and race discrimination

Thurman's claim — a procedural step before a formal lawsuit is filed — both denies the accusations and asserts that the internal investigation produced no evidence to support them.

"As to the alleged statement about hunting and killing black suspects, Sheriff Knezovich knew or reasonably should have known that no competent evidence supported Jeffrey Thurman having ever made such a statement," the claim reads. "There is no evidence of a call from Jeffrey Thurman to that car or that deputy's phone in the call records or elsewhere."

The claim was filed by Mary Schultz, a prominent local attorney who notably represented former Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub when he sued the city after he was terminated for sexual assault. Their case was ultimately shot down by a federal appellate court who upheld its dismissal.