The case against a woman previously accused of killing another woman over a campaign sign in Skagit County was dismissed in Skagit County Superior Court.
Judge Laura Riquelme dismissed the case against Angela Conijn and exonerated her bail October 9.
“Justice has been served,” her defense attorney wrote in a statement. “We are grateful for the Court’s thoughtful and well-reasoned decision. Angela was lawfully justified in protecting her husband and herself from a violent intruder who attacked her husband at their home. She is thankful to have this matter behind her and looks forward to moving on with her life and spending time with her family.”
The Skagit County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is “disappointed” in the ruling, a statement reads. The ruling is “an inaccurate reflection of the facts and law,” the office wrote.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office plans to seek a review of the decision with the Court of Appeals.
Conijn was previously charged in the death of 32-year-old Kamran Cohee.
Cohee and her boyfriend were driving home February 13, 2021, when they saw a political sign promoting Loren Culp for governor in Conijn’s yard. According to court documents, Conijn and her husband confronted the couple. There was a fight and Cohee’s boyfriend said Conijn shot and killed Cohee.
Conijn’s lawyer said she acted in self-defense, while prosecutors argued she shot after the confrontation was over.
In March, a jury could not come to a unanimous decision in the case.
According to the attorney’s office, while the state did not knowingly or intentionally admit false testimony, there were a “series of innocent lapses” that led to the state presenting false testimony about a material issue during the trial. The “cumulative effect” resulted in the state mismanaging its prosecution of the case, the attorney’s office wrote.
The dismissal stems from prosecutorial errors rather than a determination on the merits of the self-defense claim, with the judge finding that false testimony, even if inadvertently presented, compromised the integrity of the proceedings. This distinction matters for any potential retrial or appeal.
The March hung jury demonstrated the complexity of the case, with jurors unable to reach consensus on whether Conijn’s actions constituted lawful self-defense or exceeded reasonable force after the initial confrontation ended.
The incident occurred during a politically charged period following the 2020 election, with Loren Culp being a Republican gubernatorial candidate who disputed election results. Campaign sign disputes escalated into violence nationwide during this period, reflecting broader political tensions.
The prosecution’s acknowledgment of “innocent lapses” leading to false testimony is unusual, as prosecutors typically defend their trial conduct vigorously. This admission may have influenced Judge Riquelme’s decision to dismiss rather than order a new trial.
The case highlights Washington’s self-defense laws, which allow use of deadly force when individuals reasonably believe they face imminent threat of death or serious injury. The critical legal question was whether Conijn’s perception of threat was reasonable at the moment she fired.
If the Court of Appeals accepts review, it could reverse the dismissal and order a new trial, keeping the case alive despite the current ruling.
