Kris Kime

Kristopher Kime was a 20-year-old Auburn, Washington resident and Highline Community College student who was knocked down and beaten to death during Mardi Gras riots that occurred in Seattle's Pioneer Square district early in the morning of February 28, 2001.

The Incident

Kime was assisting a woman who was being assaulted at the time he was attacked. The attacks, as were most of the rioting, was concentrated on Yesler Way between 1st and 2nd Avenues. Left unconscious by the assault, Kime was carried by his friends to 2nd Avenue, where bicycle officers soon arrived. Kime was eventually transported to Harborview Medical Center, and placed on life support. He died later that 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, but the conviction was overturned when the State of Washington revised its "felony murder" law a year after the attack happened. In 2006, Thomas, now 22, was retried and pled 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. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/261101_thomas28.html]

Fallout From Kime's Death

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. [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/mardi02.shtml] 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, and eventually settled. The family would receive $1,750,000 from the City, and annuity payments which would be used to set up a scholarship in Kris Kime's name.

Kris Kime's Legacy

A CBS News story in March 2006 reported that, at the approval of Kimberly Kime-Parks, Kris Kime's organs had been made available for donation after the young man's death. Five recipients received organ transplants, among them, Larry Levenson received Kris's heart. Martha French received his pancreas. Ray Page received a kidney. All five were invited to the wedding of Kris's sister, Kirsten, which was held just days after the story aired.

External links

* [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/mardi02.shtml Mother of man killed by Fat Tuesday mob scolds police]
* [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/261101_thomas28.html 10 years for 2001 Mardi Gras riot killing]
* [http://www.skwwc.com/resources/bylines_kime.html Stritmatter Kessler Whelan Coluccio: The Case of Kristopher Kime v. City of Seattle]
* [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/28/earlyshow/health/main1445348.shtml CBS News: Organ Donor's Sister's Special Wedding]

Footnotes

[1] [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/261101_thomas28.html 10 years for 2001 Mardi Gras riot killing]

[2] [http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/mardi02.shtml Mother of man killed by Fat Tuesday mob scolds police]