svejk
Founding member of Clark Kent Club
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2001 infamous Mardi Gras, black gang beatdown of Whites, Jerrell Thomas the nigga kills WM Kris Kime - blind punch for protecting
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Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
The murder of Kristopher "Kris" Kime
was the killing of a 20-year-old Auburn, Washington resident and Highline Community College (Des Moines, Washington) student when he was knocked down and beaten to death during the Seattle Mardi Gras Riots that occurred in Seattle's Pioneer Square district early in the morning of February 28, 2001.
Kime was bending over to help a young woman who was lying on the ground and being attacked. As he bent over, he was struck on the back of his head by Jerell Thomas. He fell onto the pavement and struck his head again. As he lay there, other rioters began to kick him. His friends and others surrounded him to protect him.
As he lay dying in the streets, police officers stood on the sidelines and watched. His friends ran to the police and asked for assistance. The police were instructed they could not enter the riot zone, so they did not intervene. Off-duty fire department workers and his friends carried Kris out of the zone onto a nearby street. He was placed in a police vehicle, driven to Harborview Medical Center, and placed on life support. He died later the following night. The cause of death was listed as resulting from a fractured skull and subdural hematoma.
Kris Kime's mother, Kimberly Kime-Parks, blasted the Seattle Police Department for letting the riots escalate out of control. "I always thought police were there to protect and serve, but they weren't there to protect and serve my son," she said.[1] Other people questioned why police didn't act sooner.
In the wake of the riots, Mayor Paul Schell announced a moratorium on Mardi Gras celebrations in Seattle.
Kime's family filed a lawsuit against the City of Seattle, claiming that the City enhanced the danger to citizens. The claim was based on the City's instructions that officers should stand by and not intervene. The lawsuit claimed this empowered and emboldened lawlessness as gang members and others brutalized innocent revelers. When the case settled, the family received $1,750,000 from the City, and annuity payments which would be used to set up a scholarship in Kris Kime's name. In addition a bronze plaque was placed in Pioneer Square in memorial to Kris's life.
The attacker was identified by police as 17-year-old Jerell Thomas. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 2001. The conviction was overturned by the Washington State Court of Appeals. The appeal was based on a prior state Supreme Court decision ruling that an assault leading to death cannot be murder without intent to kill. In 2006, Thomas was retried and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter, receiving a 10-year jail sentence. However, due to previous time served and good behavior, according to his lawyer, Jeff Kradel, Thomas could be out of prison by late 2008.[2]
Jerell Thomas was released from prison in December 2009.[3][4]
A CBS News story in March 2006 reported that Kime's organs had been made available for donation after his death. Five recipients received organ transplants. The five recipients of Kime's organs were invited to the wedding of Kime's sister, Kirsten, which was held May 2006.[5][6]
was the killing of a 20-year-old Auburn, Washington resident and Highline Community College (Des Moines, Washington) student when he was knocked down and beaten to death during the Seattle Mardi Gras Riots that occurred in Seattle's Pioneer Square district early in the morning of February 28, 2001.
Kime was bending over to help a young woman who was lying on the ground and being attacked. As he bent over, he was struck on the back of his head by Jerell Thomas. He fell onto the pavement and struck his head again. As he lay there, other rioters began to kick him. His friends and others surrounded him to protect him.
As he lay dying in the streets, police officers stood on the sidelines and watched. His friends ran to the police and asked for assistance. The police were instructed they could not enter the riot zone, so they did not intervene. Off-duty fire department workers and his friends carried Kris out of the zone onto a nearby street. He was placed in a police vehicle, driven to Harborview Medical Center, and placed on life support. He died later the following night. The cause of death was listed as resulting from a fractured skull and subdural hematoma.
Kris Kime's mother, Kimberly Kime-Parks, blasted the Seattle Police Department for letting the riots escalate out of control. "I always thought police were there to protect and serve, but they weren't there to protect and serve my son," she said.[1] Other people questioned why police didn't act sooner.
In the wake of the riots, Mayor Paul Schell announced a moratorium on Mardi Gras celebrations in Seattle.
Kime's family filed a lawsuit against the City of Seattle, claiming that the City enhanced the danger to citizens. The claim was based on the City's instructions that officers should stand by and not intervene. The lawsuit claimed this empowered and emboldened lawlessness as gang members and others brutalized innocent revelers. When the case settled, the family received $1,750,000 from the City, and annuity payments which would be used to set up a scholarship in Kris Kime's name. In addition a bronze plaque was placed in Pioneer Square in memorial to Kris's life.
The attacker was identified by police as 17-year-old Jerell Thomas. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 2001. The conviction was overturned by the Washington State Court of Appeals. The appeal was based on a prior state Supreme Court decision ruling that an assault leading to death cannot be murder without intent to kill. In 2006, Thomas was retried and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter, receiving a 10-year jail sentence. However, due to previous time served and good behavior, according to his lawyer, Jeff Kradel, Thomas could be out of prison by late 2008.[2]
Jerell Thomas was released from prison in December 2009.[3][4]
A CBS News story in March 2006 reported that Kime's organs had been made available for donation after his death. Five recipients received organ transplants. The five recipients of Kime's organs were invited to the wedding of Kime's sister, Kirsten, which was held May 2006.[5][6]
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Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
More to the story from the family, outside the "news"
Kristopher Randal “Kris” Kime (1980-2001) - Find...
Kristopher Kime was a 20-year-old Auburn, Washington resident and Highline Community College student who was knocked down and beaten to death during the Mardi Gras riots that occurred in Seattle's Pioneer Square district early in the morning of February 28, 2001. Kime was bending over to help a...
www.findagrave.com
Kristopher Randal “Kris” Kime
Birth 25 Jun 1980Salem, Marion County, Oregon, USA
Death 28 Feb 2001 (aged 20)
Seattle, King County, Washington, USA
Kristopher Kime was a 20-year-old Auburn, Washington resident and Highline Community College student who was knocked down and beaten to death during the Mardi Gras riots that occurred in Seattle's Pioneer Square district early in the morning of February 28, 2001.
Kime was bending over to help a young woman who was lying on the ground and being attacked. As he bent over, he was struck on the back of his head by Jerell Thomas. He fell onto the pavement and struck his head again. As he lay there, other rioters began to kick him. His friends and others surrounded him to protect him.
As he lay dying in the streets, police officers stood on the sidelines and watched. His friends ran to the police and asked for assistance. The police were instructed they could not enter the riot zone, so they did not intervene. Off-duty fire department workers and his friends carried Kris out of the zone onto a nearby street. He was placed in a police vehicle, driven to Harborview Medical Center, and placed on life support. He died later the following night. The cause of death was listed as resulting from a fractured skull and subdural hematoma.
The attacker was identified as 17-year-old Jerell Thomas. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 2001.
Jerell Thomas was released from prison in 2010.
Shortly after his release, he reoffended.
A CBS News story in March 2006 reported that Kris Kime's organs had been made available for donation after the young man's death. Five recipients received organ transplants.
Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
Mardi Gras killer re-offends after release
It's been ten years since Seattle's Mardi Gras celebration disintegrated into a bloody rampage. A Kent college student died that night. And while the killer was caught, and convicted, he's out of prison and has committed new crimes.
www.king5.com
Mardi Gras killer re-offends after release
It's been ten years since Seattle's Mardi Gras celebration disintegrated into a bloody rampage. A Kent college student died that night. And while the killer was caught, and convicted, he's out of prison and has committed new crimes.
Author: KING Staff
Published: 2/25/2011 7:54:48 PM
Updated: 7:54 PM PST February 25, 2011
SEATTLE-- It's been ten years since Seattle's Mardi Gras celebration disintegrated into a bloody rampage. A Kent college student died that night. And while the killer was caught, and convicted, he's out of prison and has committed new crimes.
The violence of Mardi Gras 2001 was so fierce, so random, it left people asking -- can this be Seattle?It was Seattle. But even police commanders seemed to be in denial, holding back squads of riot clad officers for hours while the beatings continued.
Sgt. Dan Beste, now retired, was at 1st and Columbia -- pleading for permission to move in -- as victims staggered by.
They were crying and bleeding, clothes torn, asking us why didn't we do something, and we were asking the same thing, Beste said.
These pictures came to define Mardi Gras: a teenager wielding a skateboard as a weapon and then delivering a punch that took the life of Kristopher Kime.
There were people everywhere and I'm sure he never saw it coming, Looked like he was coming to the aid of a young lady that was being beaten at the time, so I guess one of the heroes of the night would have been Kris Kime, Beste said.
The image of Kime's body being carried to safety, which was caught on tape, came to symbolize police inaction that night. Beste was so upset, he wrote the Kime family an apology.
I also mailed a check of the money I made that evening because I didn't earn it, Beste said.
But if police failed to mobilize the night of the riots, they acted swiftly in the days that followed, creating a Mardi Gras task force. SPD Homicide Sgt. Gary Nelson was in charge.
All of these were very serious crimes, Nelson said. Nelson still has all 71 suspect boards the task force compiled. Kris Kime's killer was priority one.
How did you identify Jerell Thomas as the killer? we asked.
He became a potential suspect early on...because of his activity, he was walking randomly through, he knew was committing other crimes and eventually we are able to actually find the incident on the videotape, Nelson said.
Jerell Thomas was just 17-years-old. Sgt. Beste's team arrested him at a Seattle party.
And we found Mr. Thomas lying on a bed with a pet iguana on his chest petting it. I will remember that because he was very calm and it was like -- you guys need something? Beste said.
Prosecutors went for the harshest punishment possible, trying Thomas as an adult and asking for a 22-year sentence.
For someone to have as much anger as he does against people that he doesn't even know, somebody like my brother, who is so kind and loving, doesn't deserve to be out on the streets, Kirsten Kime told the judge.
But there were tears from Thomas.
The pain is still unbearable, Thomas s mother told the judge.
Sending Jerell away forever won't fix what has been done. I only want you to know that Jerell is not a throw away child, Bernita McKinion, Kime s aunt, said in court.
The judge gave Thomas 15 years in prison.But four years into that sentence, he got an unexpected break. His conviction was overturned by a State Supreme Court ruling that said assault leading to death isn't murder if there's no intent to kill.
I was shocked, literally sick to my stomach. I wanted to throw up. I don't think the injustice was to him, I think it was to us, said Kim Parks Kime, Kris Kime s mother.
With his murder conviction set aside, Thomas pleaded guilty to lesser charges of manslaughter and assault.He was re-sentenced to less than 12 years.
But he won't serve all of that time.In December 2009, Thomas walked free, eight years and ten months after killing Kris Kime.
He wasn't out long before he was in trouble again.Just two months after being released from prison, Thomas showed up at an ex-girlfriend's house in Auburn, demanded money and shoved her.
Once again he got a break. He was charged with two felonies, but pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors and spent a few months in jail. Then right before last Thanksgiving, in November 2010, Thomas was set free again.
It's frustrating for those who worked so hard to find justice for Kris Kime.
Dan Beste walks down to Pioneer Square where he sees the plaque commemorating Kris Kime s death for the first time.He reads the inscription: No greater love has a man than to lay down his life for his friends.
Kris Kime will remain a 20-year-old college student, forever frozen in time, on a plaque in the cobblestones a few yards from where he died.
Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
It is Seattle with the presence of large numbers of
feral violent BLACKS.
Ignorance with stupidity around BLACKS will get you killed.
Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
Looking back: Mardi Gras riots of 2001
Looking back: Mardi Gras riots of 2001
By Lynsi Burton, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFFFeb 16, 2015
Amid the revelry of Mardi Gras the world over, Seattle, for its part, maintains a more fraught connection to the holiday with the 14-year-old memories of the Pioneer Square riots that injured dozens and killed one.
The melee fomented disillusionment with Seattle police, as the police department was criticized for not doing enough to stop the violenve.
Though the climax of the riots occurred the night of Fat Tuesday itself - Feb. 27, 2001 - unrest brewed as early as the Saturday before.
Early Saturday morning, about 2,000 partiers grew unruly as bars closed and fifty officers were called to Pioneer Square to quash the bottle- and rock-throwning that occurred, according to HistoryLink. Six officers were injured and two people arrested that night.
The next night, similar tumult occurred, with rioters tossing rocks, bottles and fireworks and looting at least one business. Six people were injured and one woman was hit with a car.
Though Sunday and Monday nights were quieter - just people yelling and jumping on cars - Tuesday turned tragic as more than 4,000 people assembled in Pioneer Square.
Several groups beat people seemingly at random and several women were sexually assaulted. One car was flipped and ignited.
Police believe the crowd grew to 5,000 to 7,000 as the night went on.
Though the 350 police officers sent to the scene were initially ordered not to intervene in the riots by then-chief Gil Kerlikowske, and after a few dozen people advanced on cops with bottles and other debris, police ultimately dispersed the crowd with tear gas, pepper spray and flashbangs.
About 71 people were injured and 20-year-old Kristopher Kime of Kent died from injuries sustained in a beating. He suffered severe head injuries in the assault that occurred as he was trying to help a woman in distress.
Jerell Thomas, 17 years old at the time of the riots, was initially sentenced to 15 years in prison for Kime's death. However, after state laws changed regarding murder charges, he was re-convicted for second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years, having already served five of those years.
:quality(70)/d1hfln2sfez66z.cloudfront.net/11-30-2019/t_0dd5c4f43d4a4eaab0718955217fe661_name_C06ABDEC6180481FA0AB04078562FEDC)
Mardi Gras Killer to be released from prison
<p>The mother of the man killed during the Mardi Gras riot is warning the public. Her son's killer is about to be released from prison.</p>
www.kiro7.com
He is serving a five-year prison sentence for domestic violence assault and harassment with an additional firearms charge stemming from a 2011 incident with a girlfriend.
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Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
BLACKS HUNTED WHITES, THIS WAS A BLACK RIOT.
Sporadic fighting broke out at about 10:40 pm. Police donned riot gear and formed lines but rarely entered the crowd. Some arrests were made at the periphery of the neighborhood's main square. Cars were vandalized and overturned. Small fires were set and the windows of business were shattered.[2] Police were then notified that young men were brandishing handguns and other weapons towards people. By midnight, groups roved through the crowd randomly attacking people along the stretch of Yesler Way between First and Second Avenues.[3] Paramedics were not able to reach some victims due to the lack of police control in the area.[8]
The day after the riot, local newspapers carried a picture of a African man with brass knuckles engaged in an assault which came to symbolize the riot.[13] An editorial in The Stranger said the incident was racially motivated and that much of the violence was directed at American civilians.[14] Witnesses said gangs of African youth yelled racially charged slurs and sought European victims.[15] Some eyewitnesses said that most of the attackers were African but that ethnicity was not a factor in who was victimized. According to the Seattle Weekly, police did not initially see the attacks as solely or even predominately racial violence.[16]
Racial issues overshadowed the sexual assaults that took place. One man was charged with forcibly fondling a woman. A photograph of a partially nude woman being groped by some two dozen men while lying topless and on her back[17] won an award from the National Press Photographer Association despite not being previously published in a newspaper.[18]
In the wake of the riot, Schell announced a moratorium on Mardi Gras celebrations in Seattle.[3] Schell lost to Greg Nickels and Mark Sidran in the city's 2001 mayoral primary elections. King County Executive Ron Sims called the Mardi Gras riot and the protests at the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting "defining issues"[10] in Schell's failed bid for reelection. Nickels made Kime's death a political issue in his campaign, saying the certificate of death would hang in his office should he become mayor. He kept the pledge upon taking the office. As mayor, Nickels retained Gil Kerlikowske as police chief despite criticism of the police department's inaction during the incident.[19]
On the day after the Mardi Gras riot, Seattle experienced the 6.8 Mw Nisqually earthquake, the worst in 37 years. Its scale caused people to refocus their attention on earthquake recovery and away from the violence. Outside the Seattle area, the incidents attracted little media attention and have largely been forgotten. In 2011, local bars reattempted Mardi Gras celebrations in Pioneer Square. Smaller Mardi Gras events had been held but it was the first to consist of a collaboration between multiple establishments.[20] Another group had considered organizing an event but the permitting process was too restrictive.[21]
That night, 21 were arrested. Dozens were later questioned by police after being identified through the use of videotape, photographs, and reports from eyewitnesses.[23] Investigations showed that roughly 75% of the over 100 suspects were black. Many of the suspects had criminal records and were believed to be affiliated with gangs.[24]
The [BLACK] man photographed and videotaped wearing brass knuckles and beating people, [13]
Aaron Slaughter, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaults on a woman and two men. It ran concurrently with a nine-month sentence he received for rendering criminal assistance during a brawl less than three months later.[25]
A 17-year-old, Jerell Thomas, was found guilty in the death of Kime after jurors saw video footage of Thomas hitting Kime in the head three times. He was also convicted of two counts of second-degree assault for attacking two other men with a skateboard.[11] He originally received a 15-year sentence. His conviction was later overturned by a State's Supreme Court decision finding that assailants could not be found guilty of murder if the intent of the assault was not to take a life. In 2006, Thomas avoided a new trial and plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter. He received a 10-year sentence.[26] In December 2009, Thomas was released from prison early. He soon reoffended.[27]
Fat Tuesday
Over 4,000 party goers initially filled the neighborhood and its bars on Tuesday evening. Police estimated large crowds began forming in the central plaza at 9:00 pm and eventually spilled into the surrounding streets. The celebrations included drinking, dancing, and women baring their breasts for beads.[3] Throngs of men began groping the women as they exposed themselves.[7] Police estimated that the crowd swelled to anywhere between 5,000 and 7,000 people as the evening continued.[2]Sporadic fighting broke out at about 10:40 pm. Police donned riot gear and formed lines but rarely entered the crowd. Some arrests were made at the periphery of the neighborhood's main square. Cars were vandalized and overturned. Small fires were set and the windows of business were shattered.[2] Police were then notified that young men were brandishing handguns and other weapons towards people. By midnight, groups roved through the crowd randomly attacking people along the stretch of Yesler Way between First and Second Avenues.[3] Paramedics were not able to reach some victims due to the lack of police control in the area.[8]
The day after the riot, local newspapers carried a picture of a African man with brass knuckles engaged in an assault which came to symbolize the riot.[13] An editorial in The Stranger said the incident was racially motivated and that much of the violence was directed at American civilians.[14] Witnesses said gangs of African youth yelled racially charged slurs and sought European victims.[15] Some eyewitnesses said that most of the attackers were African but that ethnicity was not a factor in who was victimized. According to the Seattle Weekly, police did not initially see the attacks as solely or even predominately racial violence.[16]
Racial issues overshadowed the sexual assaults that took place. One man was charged with forcibly fondling a woman. A photograph of a partially nude woman being groped by some two dozen men while lying topless and on her back[17] won an award from the National Press Photographer Association despite not being previously published in a newspaper.[18]
In the wake of the riot, Schell announced a moratorium on Mardi Gras celebrations in Seattle.[3] Schell lost to Greg Nickels and Mark Sidran in the city's 2001 mayoral primary elections. King County Executive Ron Sims called the Mardi Gras riot and the protests at the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting "defining issues"[10] in Schell's failed bid for reelection. Nickels made Kime's death a political issue in his campaign, saying the certificate of death would hang in his office should he become mayor. He kept the pledge upon taking the office. As mayor, Nickels retained Gil Kerlikowske as police chief despite criticism of the police department's inaction during the incident.[19]
On the day after the Mardi Gras riot, Seattle experienced the 6.8 Mw Nisqually earthquake, the worst in 37 years. Its scale caused people to refocus their attention on earthquake recovery and away from the violence. Outside the Seattle area, the incidents attracted little media attention and have largely been forgotten. In 2011, local bars reattempted Mardi Gras celebrations in Pioneer Square. Smaller Mardi Gras events had been held but it was the first to consist of a collaboration between multiple establishments.[20] Another group had considered organizing an event but the permitting process was too restrictive.[21]
That night, 21 were arrested. Dozens were later questioned by police after being identified through the use of videotape, photographs, and reports from eyewitnesses.[23] Investigations showed that roughly 75% of the over 100 suspects were black. Many of the suspects had criminal records and were believed to be affiliated with gangs.[24]
The [BLACK] man photographed and videotaped wearing brass knuckles and beating people, [13]
Aaron Slaughter, was sentenced to three years in prison for assaults on a woman and two men. It ran concurrently with a nine-month sentence he received for rendering criminal assistance during a brawl less than three months later.[25]
A 17-year-old, Jerell Thomas, was found guilty in the death of Kime after jurors saw video footage of Thomas hitting Kime in the head three times. He was also convicted of two counts of second-degree assault for attacking two other men with a skateboard.[11] He originally received a 15-year sentence. His conviction was later overturned by a State's Supreme Court decision finding that assailants could not be found guilty of murder if the intent of the assault was not to take a life. In 2006, Thomas avoided a new trial and plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter. He received a 10-year sentence.[26] In December 2009, Thomas was released from prison early. He soon reoffended.[27]
Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
Heavily snipped from SPD 47 page AAR.
Throughout the weekend a radio station was promoting the Tuesday night event encouraging
listeners to come down and participate in the party. A columnist in one of our newspapers did a
story where an individual was quoted (from a song) to “fight for your right to party” “raise hell and
take out your aggressions”. The same columnist quoted another person as saying “Cops be-
came too aggressive and were using Gestapo tactics.” This set a tone for the crowd. The local
establishments who were hoping to make a lot of money also promoted it.
Assistant Chief Bryant: The crowd seemed to fear no consequences for bad behavior. Since
WTO people seem to feel they can riot without fear of being held accountable.
None of the events were official City Sponsored events. What are your options when you
don’t have a sponsored event.
THE ROLE OF MEDIA
Throughout the weekend a radio station was promoting the Tuesday night event encouraging
listeners to come down and participate in the party. A columnist in one of our newspapers did a
story where an individual was quoted (from a song) to “fight for your right to party” “raise hell and
take out your aggressions”. The same columnist quoted another person as saying “Cops be-
came too aggressive and were using Gestapo tactics.” This set a tone for the crowd. The local
establishments who were hoping to make a lot of money also promoted it.
Assistant Chief Bryant: The crowd seemed to fear no consequences for bad behavior. Since
WTO people seem to feel they can riot without fear of being held accountable.
None of the events were official City Sponsored events. What are your options when you
don’t have a sponsored event.
THE ROLE OF MEDIA
- Media role/hype: Provocative ads, especially pitched to underage patrons.
- Media becoming part of the news rather than reporting the news
Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
Mar 22, 2001 at 4:00 am
Blackout
BLACK RUN 'Urban League' Derails Mardi Gras Race Discussion
[They refuse to acknowledge black teen violence at all]
Josh Feit
This week, the citywill announce the creation of a task force to figure out what caused the Mardi Gras riots in Pioneer Square. Unfortunately, the city is going about its inquest all wrong. According to Mayor Paul Schell's outline, the task force will not examine the most important question: What role did race play in the riots?
The task force's mission was laid out in a recent Seattle Times article: "[The] group, Schell said, will be asked to answer several questions now on everyone's mind. What was the role of private sponsors, including a beer company and a radio station that target teenagers? Did the media behave responsibly? Why were so many youths drawn to Pioneer Square to engage in gratuitous violence? How should the city treat future special events? And how should the police react?"
Certainly, these are all legitimate concerns, but questions of race are conspicuously absent from the table. The citizenry gets it, of course: Many saw with their own eyes groups of black youths pounding on whites; plus, the Mardi Gras riots came only six months after a series of racially charged beatings in Belltown. After Fat Tuesday, talk of racial tension ricocheted around town, in barrooms and on talk radio, yet our daily papers initially refused to acknowledge it. In fact, The Stranger was the first newspaper in town to take the matter seriously ["Tuesday Night Live" and "Race Riots," March 8, 2001].
The reason city leaders have been able to pass on the race question is simple: The city's leading African American watchdog group, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, has been fighting against an honest discussion about what fueled the brutality in Pioneer Square. Rather than acknowledging black teen violence and perhaps even using it as a rallying point to make demands on behalf of the black community, Urban League President and CEO James Kelly is avoiding race at all costs. Sounding like a Benetton ad, Kelly told The Stranger last week, "Hate has no color. The level of violence in the past month in Des Moines, in Santee, in Pennsylvania, is not urban or rural. The bottom line is that it's violence being perpetrated by young individuals. I don't know what race has to do with that. We have youngsters who get off on violence."
Kelly and other black leaders met with the mayor and Seattle Police Department Chief Gil Kerlikowske on the Friday following the riots to censure those pointing to race as a factor--calling the uproar a "vilification of African Americans." The Seattle Times immediately fell in line, penning a Sunday, March 11 editorial that banished race from the equation. "...[C]rime, not race, drove the riot..." the Times explained. Likewise, Kerlikowske publicly stated that there was no evidence the violence was race-related. (SPD spokeswoman Pam McCammon has since told The Stranger that there is evidence of racial motivation.)
Meanwhile, updated reports show that the majority of police suspects in the Mardi Gras riots are black. Kelly remains unconvinced: "All I'm saying is let's make sure we know what has occurred before we conclude this is a racial issue. What happens if it turns out there were 100 cases of sexual assault? Is that a race issue?" He acknowledges that race may "eventually come up" when the task force tackles Mardi Gras, but he says the conversation "does not need to start there."
But why not start there? Is race such a touchy issue in Seattle that the very organizations who are supposed to look out for the interests of black citizens won't talk about it openly? "Some folks have accused us of sweeping [race] under the rug," says Kelly.
"It's unfair to say that the African American community should be held accountable," he adds defensively. But accountability isn't exactly the issue. The issue is black teen rage, and acknowledging it could lead to an important discussion about those teens.
If Kelly isn't going to talk about it, the city's white leaders certainly aren't going to, either. For example, in an interview with The Stranger, Mayor Schell's spokesman, Dick Lilly, parroted Kelly's logic. "It's premature to see race as a motivation. Violence appears to be a motivation in and of itself. At this point, Mayor Schell wants to meet with the task force members to talk about the agenda. Violence is still the primary thing."
But why did so much of the violence break down along racial lines? We may never know. Had gangs of white boys been caught on videotape beating black kids to a pulp, race would certainly be center stage. And in that instance, it would be incumbent on white leaders to speak out and address the causes of that violence. Black leaders should feel the same responsibility.
josh@thestranger.com
Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
City to pay $1.75 million to Mardi Gras victim's family — Karen Koehler
SEATTLE TIMES: A photograph of Kristopher Kime hangs in the office of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels to remind the mayor of the importance of public safety. The city went a step further yesterday to console the family of the 20-year-old beaten to death during the Mardi Gras melee last year, ag
karenkoehler.com
City to pay $1.75 million to Mardi Gras victim's family
Seattle Times
August 15, 2002By Gina Kim
gkim@seattletimes.com
A photograph of Kristopher Kime hangs in the office of Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels to remind the mayor of the importance of public safety. The city went a step further yesterday to console the family of the 20-year-old beaten to death during the Mardi Gras melee last year, agreeing to pay it $1.75 million.
"Kristopher's death was obviously a terrible loss for his family and his friends, and it was a tragic day for the city of Seattle," Nickels said. "My hope is that this will bring some closure for his family."
As part of the mediated settlement, the city will also establish an annual scholarship of $2,500 for a high-school student or young adult who has demonstrated compassion and self-sacrifice and will memorialize Kime with a plaque to be placed in Pioneer Square. And Kime's family will meet with Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske and be notified of all future City Council Public Safety Committee meetings.
"The other terms were so much more important than the monetary terms," Kime's father, Ken Kime, said yesterday. "We spent more time on that."
The Kime family will discuss the settlement further at a news conference today.
Kristopher Kime, of Kent, was a graduate of Evergreen High School in the Highline School District, where he lettered in soccer and was team captain his senior year. He loved music and hoped to become a radio disc jockey.
Arheel's Uncle
Senior Reporter
ARA - Losers refusing to admit predatorius nigrus crime since 1988.
