CASE BACKGROUND: In the case of Ostling vs. Bainbridge Island, jurors in U.S. District court are wrestling with two conflicting viewpoints: either two Bainbridge Island police officers were just doing “the best they could under the circumstances,” in responding to Douglas Ostling’s home in October 2010, or they caused a “preventable death that would’ve been avoided if they’d followed their own policy manual.”

The case, having been ongoing three weeks now, is set to wrap up this week. Kitsap Sun Reporter Tristan Baurick will be in court Tuesday and Wednesday covering the testimony, which you can follow live below.

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CASE BACKGROUND: The plaintiff Ostling family is expected to wrap up its case this week. They’re suing the city of Bainbridge Island for alleged civil rights violations against Douglas Ostling, the night the 43-year-old was shot and killed by police.

Reporter Tristan Baurick is at court live blogging the proceedings today.

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CASE BACKGROUND: Today is the likely conclusion to the case of state of Washington vs. Megan Mollet. Mollet, 19, is charged by prosecutors with rendering criminal assistance to the man authorities say shot and killed Washington State Trooper Tony Radulescu in February. She is also charged with making false statements.

Mollet’s attorney says that she was under duress at the time and after the shooting.

The live blog will begin shortly.

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CASE BACKGROUND: Testimony begins today in the case of State of Washington vs. Megan Mollet. Mollet is charged by county prosecutors with rendering criminal assistance to the man who killed Washington State Trooper Tony Radulescu on Feb. 23. Mollet is also charged with making false statements to police.

Mollet’s attorney is arguing that she was under duress at the time of and after the shooting.

We’re in a bit of a delay this morning but court is expected to begin shortly.

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CASE BACKGROUND: Megan G. Mollet, the 18-year-old charged by county prosecutors with rendering criminal assistance to the man authorities say murdered Washington State Trooper Tony Radulescu, is on trial this week.

Sixty people were considered to serve on the jury considering the charges against Mollet, including making a false statement to a public servant, a gross misdemeanor, and the original rendering charge, a felony.

This afternoon will be opening statements from Kitsap County Deputy Prosecutor Tim Drury and Mollet’s attorney, Jonathan Morrison.

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CASE BACKGROUND: The plaintiff Ostling family is expected to wrap up its case early this week. They’re suing the city of Bainbridge Island for alleged civil rights violations against Douglas Ostling, the night the 43-year-old was shot and killed by police.

Reporter Tristan Baurick will be in court live blogging the proceedings today. Court is set to begin at 9:30 a.m.

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CASE BACKGROUND: Did police violate the civil rights of 43-year-old Douglas Ostling when they responded to his home for his 911 call, shot him as he held an axe and then refused to let anyone go into his room as he bled to death?

That’s what eight jurors in Tacoma’s federal U.S. District Court will have to decide.

Ostling’s estate, as well as his parents, William and Joyce, are suing the city of Bainbridge Island and its police chief, Jon Fehlman, along with Officer Jeff Benkert, the man who fired the shot that caused the fatal injury.

On Monday, we heard opening statements.

On Tuesday, we heard from Officer Benkert.

And today, we’re hearing from Officer David Portrey, who was with Benkert at the time. There may be other witnesses, too.

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CASE BACKGROUND: Bremerton jazz musician Mark Lewis will likely find out today if he’ll get a new trial — or sentenced for obstructing police last September.

The prominent musician, who is legally blind, was found guilty in January of obstructing a Bremerton officer. Lewis contended at his January trial he did not know he was dealing with a police officer.

Police said he grabbed onto an officer’s gun in a tussle.

Lewis, who was acquitted of disorderly conduct by the jury, said he was attempting to hail a cab when his fare money went into Kitsap Way. He attempted to retrieve it and a man called 911 reporting his being in traffic.

Lewis has appealed for a new trial and Bremerton Municipal Court Judge James Docter will decide if he should get one. If not, Lewis will be sentenced. The conviction carries up to a year in jail, but Lewis, who has no criminal history, would likely receive less than the maximum.

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Note: Due to technical difficulties this morning (the county’s Wi-Fi appears to be down), the live blog is starting late.

CASE BACKGROUND: Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Leila Mills will sentence a South Kitsap teen this morning following his conviction by a jury in December of the murder of 87-year-old Ruby Andrews.

Daniel J. Mustard, 19, faces up to life in prison for stabbing to death Andrews at her Puget Drive home on April 5, 2009.

A seven-week trial saw prosecutors argue Mustard killed Andrews in a “robbery that went haywire,” killed the 87-year-old and taking valuables from her home.

Mustard’s defense attorney argued his client was under psychosis due to a “psychotropic cocktail” of drugs he was being medicated with for a mental disease.

Shortly before deliberations, Mills ruled that jurors couldn’t consider the insanity defense in the case. Jurors found him guilty of both first- and second-degree murder. Mustard’s attorney vowed to appeal the conviction.

We’ll get started here at 9 a.m.

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THE CASE BACKGROUND: Well-known Bremerton jazz musician Mark Lewis is fighting charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after an incident in September on Kitsap Way.

Accounts of the incident offered by Lewis and by the officers who arrested him vary greatly.

Police contend the 52-year-old, who performs each Saturday at El Coral Mexican Restaurant on Fourth Street, was acting aggressively and had punched a sign at a fast-food restaurant before grabbing onto an officer’s gun during a tussle.

Lewis, a Key Peninsula native who is legally blind, said he was disoriented and had no idea why he was being handcuffed and arrested.

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