Murray Agrees To Settle Sex Abuse Suit, Still Denies Allegations

SEATTLE, WA - Former Seattle mayor Ed Murray has agreed to a $150,000 settlement with a man who accused him of sex abuse earlier this year. Murray, still denying the sex abuse allegations, said he agreed to the city's settlement with accuser Delvonn Heckard "to put this matter behind me."

News of the settlement came on Saturday night, and was first reported by the Seattle Times. Murray and city officials said that the city can avoid expensive litigation costs by agreeing to settle now.

"The lawsuit was painful for me, my husband, and my former staff because the allegations were untrue," Murray said in a statement released Saturday. "I did not molest or have any sexual contact with the plaintiff. I was prepared to defend myself in court (as I have been doing at my own expense), but wholeheartedly agreed with the city's decision to pay $150,000 to avoid the cost and uncertainty of litigation."

Heckard sued Murray in May claiming that the then-mayor abused Heckard in the 1980s. Heckard later suspended the suit, but more men came forward over the summer and fall to accuse Murray of sexual abuse. Murray resigned as Seattle mayor in September following a sex abuse accusation from his cousin reported by the Seattle Times.

City Attorney Pete Holmes on Saturday night said the settlement closes a "sad chapter" in city history. He said he worked with Heckard's attorney, Lincoln Beauregard, over the holiday season to hammer out the settlement.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said the settlement is "the right thing to do" and will "allow the city to heal."

Read more Patch coverage of Ed Murray's sex abuse accusations:

• Ed Murray Staying Out Of Seattle Mayoral Race, Endorses Durkan Instead
• Who Has Called For Ed Murray To Resign? Here's A List
• Seattle Mayor Ed Murray Resigns After Fifth Sex Abuse Allegation

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray, left, smiles as his husband Michael Shiosaki motions while briefly answering a question at a news conference at City Hall Wednesday, June 14, 2017, in Seattle. A man who accused Murray of sexually abusing him when he was a teenager has asked a court to dismiss the lawsuit he filed against the mayor. In a motion filed Tuesday, Delvonn Heckard's lawyer, Lincoln Beauregard, said that Heckard feels it would be wise to complete his extensive counseling and recovery before moving forward with the case.

Photo by Elaine Thompson/Associated Press