US assures action after India calls for probe into video showing Seattle police officer laughing at student’s death

Earlier, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco also took cognizance of the video and called the matter “deeply troubling.” The Consulate stated that they have taken the matter up with authorities in Seattle and Washington DC. “Recent reports including in media of the handling of Ms Jaahnavi Kandula’s death in a road accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling. We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle & Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC for a thorough investigation & action against those involved in this tragic case. The Consulate & Embassy will continue to closely follow up on this matter with all concerned authorities (cis),” the Consulate wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Jaahnavi Kandula was killed on January 23 this year after being struck by a police vehicle driven by Officer Kevin Dave. Dave was driving 74 mph (~ more than 119 kmph) on the way to an overdose call, news agency PTI quoted the report in Seattle Times newspaper. Daniel Auderer, who is the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, as well as a drug recognition expert, was assigned to evaluate whether Dave was impaired, The Seattle Times reported.

Following Kandula’s death, Auderer left his body-worn camera on as he called Guild president Mike Solan to report the matter. In a footage released by the police department this Monday, Auderer could be seen laughing and suggesting that Kandula’s life had “limited value” and the city should “just write a cheque.” “Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26 anyway,” Auderer said in the video, misstating Kandula’s age.

The footage prompted India to raise the matter strongly with the authorities in the United States, demanding a thorough investigation and action against those guilty in the case.

Police officer Auderer on his ‘laugh’

According to KTTH radio station in Seattle, Auderer said he made the comment as a mockery of lawyers. On his conversation with the guild president Solan, Auderer stated that the latter “lamented” the young woman’s death, adding that it was unfortunate that her death would “turn into lawyers arguing ‘the value of human life.'”

“I responded with something like: ‘She’s 26 years old. What value is there? Who cares?’ I intended the comment as a mockery of lawyers,” Auderer was quoted as saying. “I was imitating what a lawyer tasked with negotiating the case would be saying and being sarcastic to express that they shouldn’t be coming up with crazy arguments to minimise the payment,” he added. “I laughed at the ridiculousness of how these incidents are litigated and the ridiculousness of how I watched these incidents play out as two parties bargain over a tragedy,” the officer stated.

According to the report, Auderer acknowledged that anyone listening to the body-camera recording “would rightfully believe I was being insensitive to the loss of human life” and said the comment “was not made with malice or a hard heart.” According to the PTI report, the Office of Police Accountability confirmed that an investigation had been initiated after having received a complaint on August 2 from an employee with the Seattle Police Department.

The agency, responsible for investigating police misconduct and recommending discipline to the police chief, is investigating “the context in which” the statements were made and whether any policies had been violated, PTI quoted the police department.

Another Seattle police oversight organisation, the Community Police Commission, described the audio as “heartbreaking and shockingly insensitive.” “The people of Seattle deserve better from a police department that is charged with fostering trust with the community and ensuring public safety,” the organisation’s press release said.

“Especially in light of this video, the hard work toward ensuring that the Seattle Police Department reflects the values of the community it polices, and embraces transparent accountability, will remain a top priority for the Seattle Community Police Commission,” the press statement added.

Who was Jaahnavi Kandula?

Kandula hailed from Andhra Pradesh, and was pursuing her Master’s at Northeastern University in Seattle, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser started to support her family.

“The family has nothing to say,” her uncle, Ashok Mandula told PTI. “Except I wonder if these men’s daughters or granddaughters have value. A life is a life,” he said.

(with inputs from AP and PTI)