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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Since You Asked: Rumble strips will be back on Interstate 5 ... Phoenix High ag teacher is tops in state ... Still no sign of missing doctor ... Since You Asked: Rumble strips will be back on Interstate 5 ... Phoenix High ag teacher is tops in state ... Still no sign of missing doctor ... LANDSLIDE LAWSUIT Lawyers for victims say state committed fraud Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 23, 2016 at 5:36 PM By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 23, 2016 at 5:36 PM » Social News SEATTLE — Attorneys for victims and family members in the deadly 2014 landslide in Washington state have accused state lawyers of orchestrating a fraud to hide the truth by deleting emails between defense expert witnesses. In a motion filed Tuesday, the attorneys say the state has spent over $3 million in taxpayer dollars developing the opinions of its seven-person expert team. They claim that undertaking, however, was started with a pact approved by the attorney general to destroy emails and deceive about what they were doing. The plaintiffs say they obtained some of the emails sent among the state's expert witnesses that were mistakenly spared from deletion. They allege the emails show that the experts were "constantly shifting their story in service of the state's defense." "What we will never know is the true depth of this deceit, because the vast majority of emails were destroyed and will never see the light of day," the attorneys wrote. A total of 43 people were killed in the March 22, 2014, slide in Oso, about 60 miles northeast of Seattle. The plaintiffs are requesting that Judge Roger Rogoff impose sanctions ranging from instructing a future jury to draw a "negative inference" from the email deletions to entering a liability judgment against the state. The attorney general's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment, The Seattle Times reported. The civil lawsuit set for trial this fall is expected to involve one of the largest tort claims in Washington history with the state, as well as Snohomish County and Grandy Lake Forest Associates, as defendants. A major part of the case is focused on actions by the state — including the construction of a cribwall and sediment pond — that the lawsuit says increased risks to the community. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Aug. 23, 2016 at 5:36 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501