July 19, 2017 The Skanner Page 5
News
Events & Announcements
Community
Calendar 2017
cont’d from pg 4
Seattle Metro
THURSDAY, JULY 20
OVERLOOK WALK OPEN HOUSE: Join the Offi ce of the Waterfront
and our project partners for an informal open house in the newly
opened Market Front Pavilion at Pike Place Market. Along with
overall project updates, we’ll share the latest designs. 6 p.m. – 8
p.m., Pike Place Market’s Waterfront Pavilion, 1901 Western Ave.
SATURDAY – SUNDAY, JULY 22 – 23
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
RENEGADE CRAFT FAIR: This event showcases products like ag-
riculture, horticultural, craft, cattle, sheep, farm products and
much more! 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Magnuson Park, 7400 Sandpoint
Way NE.
TUESDAY, JULY 25
De-Escalate Washington
Charleena Lyles’ family members, and other families aff ected by fatal police shootings, attended a press conference July 6 in front of
Seattle City Hall announcing the launch of Initiative 940, which would allow prosecution of police in fatal use-of-force cases. De-Escalate
Washington, an organization made up of the families of people killed by law enforcement, labor organizations, Native American tribes
and advocates for immigrants, people of color and people with disabilities, needs to collect more than 260,000 signatures to get the
measure before the legislature. The measure proposes the implementation of de-escalation training, mental health intervention and
mandates that fi rst aid be rendered if a civilian is injured by a police offi cer. It would also amend the standard for justifi able use of
deadly force by law enforcement, including adding a “good faith” standard and requiring independent investigation.
Briefs cont’d from pg 4
mory’s 2017-2018 season is funded in part by Season
Superstars Tim and Mary Boyle, and Lead Corporate
Champion Umpqua Bank. Further support comes
from Season Sponsors: Regional Arts and Culture
Council, The Wallace Foundation and Oregon Arts
Commission, a state agency funded by the state of Or-
egon and the National Endowment for the Arts. Mark
Spencer Hotel is the offi cial hotel partner. Portland
Center Stage at The Armory was selected as a partici-
pant of the Wallace Foundation’s Building Audiences
for Sustainability Initiative, a four-year eff ort with
a nationwide cohort of 26 performing arts organiza-
tions.
Seattle News Briefs
Investigator Found in 1984 Seattle
Mayor Abused Foster Son
Three decades before Ed Murray was elected Se-
attle’s mayor, an Oregon child-welfare investigator
found that he had sexually abused his foster son,
prompting state offi cials to conclude that “under no
circumstances” should Murray serve as a foster par-
ent in the future.
The fi ndings were reported Sunday by The Seattle
Times, aft er Oregon’s Department of Human Services
in April unearthed old records — previously thought
to have been destroyed — at the newspaper’s request.
The agency initially withheld many of the documents,
but it released them to the Times this month aft er it
appealed, agreeing that it was in the public interest
to do so.
“In the professional judgement of this caseworker
who has interviewed numerous children of all ages
and of all levels of emotional disturbance regarding
sexual abuse, Jeff Simpson has been sexually abused
by . Edward Murray,” Child Protective Services case-
worker Judy Butler wrote in the May 1984 assess-
ment.
Murray’s former foster son, Jeff Simpson, who now
resides in Portland, is one of four men who publicly
accused him this spring of sexually abusing them
long ago. Murray adamantly denies the allegations,
but he declined to seek re-election.
In a written response Sunday, Murray said the
child-welfare investigator never interviewed him
and that neither he nor his attorney was informed of
the fi ndings at the time. He said the allegations were
fully investigated and prosecutors never brought
charges.
“That she believed Jeff ’s claims at the time and ad-
vocated on his behalf is painful to see, but does not
change the fact that, based on the totality of the evi-
dence that was collected, the District Attorney de-
clined to fi le charges,” Murray said.
Still, the Times reported, the newly disclosed re-
cords reveal that a Multnomah County prosecutor
declined to pursue charges because of Simpson’s
troubled personality, not because she thought he was
lying.
“It was Jeff ’s emotional instability, history of ma-
nipulative behavior and the fact that he has again run
away and made himself unavailable that forced my
decision,” Deputy District Attorney Mary Tomlinson
wrote.
She added: “We could not be sure of meeting the
high burden of proof in a criminal case — of proof
beyond a reasonable doubt and to a moral certainty.
However, this in no way means that the District At-
torney’s Offi ce has decided Jeff ’s allegations are not
true.”
Simpson, now 49, had been abandoned as an infant.
He lived under Murray’s care for nearly a year and
a half as a teenager, aft er meeting him when Murray
counseled him at a Portland center for troubled teens
in the late 1970s.
Simpson said the abuse began in 1980, when he was
13 and spending a weekend with Murray. The abuse
continued aft er Murray became his foster father and
lasted until he left Murray’s care at age 16, Simpson
said. At times, Murray paid Simpson $10 or gave him
drugs for sex, he said.
— Associated Press
Mayor Murray Signs Executive
Order Requiring Body Cameras on
Patrol Offi cers
This week, Ed Murray, working with City Attorney
Pete Holmes, signed an Executive Order requiring all
Seattle Police patrol offi cers to wear body-worn video
The Skanner Foundation
e
h
t
e
v
a
S ate! Martin Luther King, Jr.
d
BREAKFAST
HOMEBUYER’S CLASS: Learn how to get free money to purchase
a fi rst-time home. Learn how to qualify Learn the fi ve key steps
to home buying, the four things lenders require for loan approv-
al and much more. Learn about the Homes for Heroes Program
also. 4 p.m. – 9 p.m., Federal Way Library, 848 S. 320th St., Fed-
eral Way.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26
FAMILY CAMP: GOLD RUSH: Stop by the museum to hear the real
story behind the Klondike Gold Rush and try some fun activ-
ities, including panning for gold. All ages welcome: Included
in general admission or $5 for event-only program. 10:30 a.m.,
Washington State History Museum, 19141 Pacifi c Ave., Tacoma.
SATURDAY, JULY 29
ALASKA AIRLINES SEAFAIR TORCHLIGHT PARADE FANFEST: Fun
pre-run, pre-parade event with performances, food, exhibits
and fl oats. Noon, Seattle Center, 305 Harrison St.
View the Community Calendar and regularly
updated News Briefs for Seattle and Portland at
cameras (body cameras).
The order requires the Seattle Police Department
(SPD) to equip West Precinct bike patrol offi cers with
cameras by July 22 and all West Precinct offi cers by
September 30, putting the department on track to ful-
ly implement a program that has undergone multiple
pilot programs. All other offi cers will get body cam-
eras on a monthly precinct by precinct basis.
Murray is directing prompt implementation of
the program to ensure no further signifi cant uses of
force by police offi cers go undocumented by a video
record.
Murray fi rst proposed funding for body cameras in
his 2016 budget, months aft er the City was awarded a
$600,000 federal grant. The City then began a stake-
holder and community engagement process as part
of a 2016 pilot.
A March 2016 survey conducted by the Community
Police Commission and SPD, as a part of its 2016 body-
worn camera pilot program, found that 86 percent of
community members would want offi cers to be wear-
ing body cameras when they responded to a call for
service.
Additionally, a study commissioned by the Federal
Monitor overseeing the City’s compliance with the
federally mandated Consent Decree, found that 92
percent of Seattleites want to see body cameras on
offi cers.
Major cities such as Oakland, Denver, Atlanta,
Washington, D.C. and Detroit, and localities like Spo-
kane currently have cameras on offi cers.
Jan.
15,
2018
– new location –
Red lion - Jantzen Beach
