City Attorney Pete Holmes looked to put an end to one of Seattle’s most troubling stories of 2017 announcing a New Year’s weekend $150,000 settlement in the Ed Murray sexual abuse lawsuit.
In spring, a civil lawsuit targeted Murray over allegations he sexually abused a drug-addicted teen he met on Capitol Hill in the 1980s before Murray launched his political career. That suit was eventually dropped before being refiled and adding blame to the city for allowing Murray to use his office to attack his accusers.
As part of the agreement, the city will pay accuser Delvonn Heckard $150,000.
“With this settlement, the city takes an important step in putting this sad chapter behind us, limiting litigation expenses, and allowing Mr. Heckard to move forward with his life,” Holmes said in a statement on the deal.
Heckard lawyer Lincoln Beauregard said Seattle and Holmes “handled this incredibly well and saved the city a lot of pain by doing so.”
Holmes also called the agreement the “best opportunity for healing for all.”
“I agree with the city attorney that settling this lawsuit is the right thing to do and allows our city to begin to heal,” Mayor Jenny Durkan said in the city hall statement released Saturday night. “As someone who has represented victims of sexual assault, I know this has caused a lot of pain and trauma for Mr. Heckard as well as many survivors.”
KING 5 reported on the five men who have accused Ed Murray and the mayor’s statement reacting to the Heckard settlement:
“I am relieved to put this matter behind me; however, that relief is bittersweet, tempered by the painful experience we have all undergone. The lawsuit was painful for me, my husband, my family, and my former staff because the allegations were untrue. I did not molest or have any sexual contact with the plaintiff. I was prepared to defend myself in court (as I have been doing at my own expense), but wholeheartedly agree with the City’s decision to pay $150,000 to avoid the cost and uncertainty of litigation.”
Capitol Hill resident Murray, now 62, dropped his bid for reelection and resigned after months of legal and political fighting.
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I’m disgusted that our tax dollars go to pay for the bad behavior and poor choices of our cities representatives.
If Mr. Heckard has any decency, he’d donate that 150k to charity rather than profiting from taxpayers.
Do you really believe he does? After all these years, seems hard to believe this has anything to do with “healing” (if it even happened), and more to do with money. The lawyer will keep a minimum of $50k of it (min), and I’d be shocked if he turns loose with any of it either.
This is shocking. Our taxpayers’ money used to bail a sexual predator out of trouble? Shame on the City. They’ll be hearing about this from me and many others.
Wonderful, the city pays for indecency. Can’t believe we have to foot the bill.
This is but a small part of the pathology of Seattle government.
Too late now, but a vote for Pete Holmes is a vote for settlements like this.
I think a lot of people like Pete Holmes because Pete loves pot. Well there is more to being the city’s top lawyer than keeping a dime bag in your desk.