The Associated Press
SEATTLE — The former foster son of ex-Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has filed a lawsuit against the city and Murray, claiming Murray improperly used his office to defame him and other men who accused Murray of child-sexual abuse decades ago.
Jeff Simpson’s lawsuit, which was filed Friday, also contends the City Council and other public officials negligently failed to investigate the allegations, and enabled Murray to stay in office for months to further slander his accusers and use city personnel and other resources to falsely deny their claims, The Seattle Times reported.
“These actions, enabling and watching future leaders of the community accept Mr. Murray’s endorsement, caused added emotional distress and humiliation to Jeff Simpson and childhood sex abuse victims everywhere,” according to the complaint, filed in King County Superior Court by Simpson’s attorney, Cheryl Snow.
Murray’s attorney Steve Fogg said in an emailed statement to the newspaper Friday that Murray denies the allegations and is looking forward to a trial.
“For more than a decade, Mr. Simpson has been peddling these baseless claims, seeking to turn them into money,” Fogg’s email said.
Dan Nolte, a spokesman for Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, said in an email Friday the office had not yet seen Simpson’s complaint.
Murray resigned in September after a fifth man, his cousin, publicly accused him of sexual abuse decades ago.
Simpson, of Gladstone, Ore., is the second accuser to sue Murray and the city for defamation and negligence.
Delvonn Heckard sued last year, ultimately receiving a $150,000 settlement.
Heckard, 47, died in an Auburn motel in February of an accidental overdose of heroin and prescription drugs prescribed to him for anxiety and depression.
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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
