Chaos erupted in a King County courtroom on Thursday during the high-profile Mays v. City of Seattle wrongful death trial, as city attorney Alexandra Nica launched into a furious tirade, accusing opposing counsel Evan Oshan of “gender discrimination and harassment.” The outburst came on the heels of devastating expert testimony that painted Seattle’s handling of the infamous 2020 CHAZ/CHOP zone as liable for the June 2020 “agonizing” death of Antonio Mays Jr., a black teenager from California shot several times in the protest zone.
As the testimony piled up against Seattle, Nica appeared increasingly unhinged. In an emotional rant without jurors present, she complained that Oshan refuses to speak to her, turns his chair away, and ignores her questions—insisting this “only happens to me” because she’s a woman. She demanded that Judge Sean O’Donnell enforce prior sanctions against Oshan for alleged “gender conduct.” But Oshan wasn’t having it and flipped the script. He shot back, exposing Nica’s own hypocritical attacks: “Throughout this litigation, Ms. Nica has attacked me on the basis of my gender. She has called me a ‘mansplainer’ multiple times in court documents…She called me a ‘boar.'”
Oshan, a father and husband, took personal offense, accusing Nica of “weaponizing” gender against him in “textbook harassment.” In return, he requested Judge O’Donnell impose new sanctions against the visibly irate Nica. The judge, clearly annoyed, deferred rulings to written briefs, prioritizing the jury and witnesses over the attorneys’ personal drama.
Nica, dressed in red, displayed an intense demeanor while Oshan stood firm. The exchange devolved into interruptions and accusations, with Nica at one point snapping about Oshan describing her as having a “temper tantrum.” One observer wrote on social media: “This is the most Seattle thing ever.”
Hellbound and Down 