Prosecutor wants district judge disqualified

Mason County Prosecutor Michael Dorcy has petitioned to disqualify a district court judge from ruling on a temporary order of protection against a Belfair man who allegedly shot a crossbow at a neighbor.

Dorcy filed a writ of mandamus, used when government officials have allegedly taken a legally prohibited action, May 8 to remove Mason County District Court Judge George Steele from the case.

Steele refused to set a trial date and other future hearings for Robert Bird, who was arrested by a SWAT team March 11.

Bird’s neighbor contacted police about a dispute that later escalated when Bird “ret...