Bellevue Legal News: Seattle Divorce & Domestic Violence Lawyer

Seattle Lawyer Gets 20 Months For Arson, Domestic Violence Charge

A Seattle attorney who faced arson and domestic violence charges has entered into a plea bargain this week and will likely face a 20-month jail sentence for the crimes.

According to Seattle news sources, 40-year-old John Siegel entered an Alford plea – which means that while he does not admit guilt, he does admit that a jury would likely find him guilty. Siegel allegedly set fire to a home he jointly owned with his estranged wife just weeks after being released from jail on separate charges of domestic violence against his spouse. Police say he was found inside the house suffering from self-inflicted wounds.

Siegel, who also found himself in legal trouble after threatening to kill a judge in his first domestic violence hearing, is a lawyer who has been representing himself in court. In the plea, he would be serving concurrent jail time – 17 months for the arson charge and 20 months for violating court orders related to the original domestic violence charge. After the first charge, he was ordered not to have contact with his wife or the judge.

Siegel will remain in King County Jail until his sentencing in early December. His legal troubles began earlier this year, when he was accused of assaulting his spouse and sending her harassing text messages.

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