Seattle mayor denies allegations in suit that he sexually abused teen in the '80s
SEATTLE – A 46-year-old Kent man has accused Seattle Mayor Ed Murray of sexually abusing him when he was just a teenager in the 1980s -- allegations that the mayor denies.
Q13 News went to the location of a Capitol Hill apartment building, where Murray once lived and where the man, "D.H.", alleges in a lawsuit that Murray sexually assaulted him in 1986 when D.H. was just 15 and Murray was 32 and not yet the mayor.
In court documents released Thursday, we learn D.H.’s story.
“Mr. Murray propositioned D.H. in the form of sex acts for money – a form of child prostitution. Addicted to drugs at the time, D.H. was willing do whatever Mr. Murray asked for as little as $10-20 dollars.”
Claims the mayor’s private attorney refutes.
"The allegations are false. He has never engaged in any inappropriate conduct with a minor,” said Murray’s private attorney Robert Sulkin. “For 30 years, nothing is said. And all of a sudden an accuser comes and, apparently it's been reported, has a long criminal record and makes these allegations.”
The complaint even says, “Admittedly, D.H. was convicted of various charges that include an extensive drug addiction, and acts of prostitution in 1990 during unrelated sting operation.”
D.H., who told The Seattle Times he was addicted to crack cocaine in the mid-1980s, goes on to say he wanted to come forward after getting clean and seeking counseling at Sound Mental Health.
The complaint reads, “D.H. is disturbed that Mr. Murray maintains a position of trust and authority, and believes that the public has a right to full information when a trusted official exploits a child.”
Sulkin cries foul.
“I don't think it's a coincidence that these allegations have occurred in the midst of a mayoral campaign,” said Sulkin. “At the end of the day, we are going to defend this lawsuit, vigorously.”
There are two other men, Jeff Simpson and Lloyd Anderson, who came forward in 2008 during Murray’s first mayoral campaign alleging child sex abuse and child prostitution at the hands of Murray. Sulkin argues those two men were deemed not credible by law enforcement and media outlets.
The statute of limitations for criminal charges have already passed. As far as the civil case, D.H. is asking for “general damages” to be proven at trial. That means there’s no specific amount attached to the lawsuit.