Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist and state legislators, including Sen. Randi Becker of Eatonville, are trying to rewrite state law in order to prevent a man who killed his wife from receiving her state pension benefits. Senate Bill 6091, legislation that grew from a request by Lindquist, would prevent murderers from profiting when they are found not guilty by reason of insanity. Under current state law, Robert Selland, now under treatment at Western State Hospital, is entitled to $17,000 in pension benefits earned by his late wife, Carol. Selland stabbed her to death in 2011 but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. "A killer shouldn't benefit from his crime," Lindquist said. "I've spoken to Carol's sister, Cheryl, and we are going to fix this for her and for the future." SB 6091 was introduced April 2 by Sen. Bruce Dammeier of Puyallup, roughly three weeks before the scheduled end of the Legislature's 2015 session. The earliest it could become law is next year. The bill's co-sponsors include Becker. She represents the Second Legislative District, which includes south Pierce County. State law bars killers and abusers from inheriting property, collecting benefits or otherwise profiting from their misdeeds. But Selland was never found guilty, so the law doesn't apply to him, Lindquist noted. He said Carol Selland's family was informed by the state Department of Retirement Systems that Robert Selland is entitled to collect the full pension she earned as a family educator for the county's Community Connections Department. The pending legislation, if passed by the Senate and House of Representatives and signed into law by the governor, would change the definition of "slayerGÇ¥ to include those who are judged insane. Dammeier said lawmakers hope the changed law could be applied retroactively.
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