Ex-prosecutor found guilty of selling drugs

It is a case that involves love, betrayal and methamphetamines.

Former King County Deputy Prosecutor Douglas Willas Miller, 38, was found guilty yesterday of selling drugs to an undercover narcotics detective early last year.

Miller, who left the prosecutor's office in April 1998, tried the case himself with co-counsel Pete Connick.

While the jury took about eight hours to reach a verdict, Connick maintains that there are still un resolved legal issues in the case, including the use of a confidential informant who was Miller's former lover and whether a TV news crew should have been allowed to accompany police on a raid of Miller's Ballard home on Feb. 16, 1999.

Miller, known as Will Miller, joined the prosecutor's office in November 1995 and worked in juvenile, district and trial courts. He did not handle drug cases.

In summer 1997, he met and fell in love with Jeffrey Vinson, 45, Connick said. In November of that year they signed an affidavit of domestic partnership to enable Vinson to be covered under Miller's county medical benefits.

In March 1998, Miller was stopped as he passed through courthouse metal detectors, searched and found to be in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Because Miller worked as prosecutor, the case was referred to the state Attorney General's Office. The office did not charge Miller after Vinson signed an oath that the drugs were his.

In May 1998, their relationship soured, and Miller asked Vinson to move out of the house they shared in Ballard, Connick said.

Court documents said that a few months later, Vinson contacted the King County Sheriff's Office and offered to help build a drug case against Miller.

With Vinson's aid, an undercover detective bought $1,000 of methamphetamine from Miller on Jan. 30, 1999. On two other occasions, the detective visited Miller's home and bought drugs.

On Feb. 16, 1999, King County deputies searched Miller's home and arrested him. A news crew from KOMO-TV was then allowed to enter the house.

King County Superior Court Judge Ronald Kessler, who presided over the trial, determined that Miller's constitutional right to privacy was violated by the presence of the media during the raid.

Kessler ordered the attorneys to file briefs about what, if anything, should be done to remedy the violation of constitutional law.

The judge has yet to issue a ruling on whether the Sheriff's Office illegally employed Miller's former lover to build a case against him. Connick said a 1996 state Supreme Court ruling prohibits police from using confidential informants who are romantically tied to the defendant.

Brian Moran, chief criminal prosecutor for the Attorney General's Office, told the court yesterday that state guidelines place Miller's possible punishment at nine to 10 years. Connick disputes that figure.

Kessler allowed Miller to be free while awaiting sentencing, scheduled for Sept. 11.

Alex Fryer's phone message number is 206-464-8124. His e-mail address is afryer@seattletimes.com.