Murray For Mayor? After Sex Abuse Suit Dropped, Murray Leaves Door Open For Return

SEATTLE, WA - The man who is suing Seattle Mayor Ed Murray over allegations of sex abuse withdrew his lawsuit on Wednesday. In court filings, Delvonn Heckard, the man suing Murray, said he needs to complete "extensive counseling and recovery this December prior to moving forward with this matter." The allegations in the suit pushedMurray to drop out of the mayoral race, ruining his chance to appear on the ballot in the August primary.

On Wednesday, Murray did not rule out re-entering the race. He said would consider his options as far as running for office, either this year or in the future. Asked if he would mount a write-in campaign for mayor, Murray said that he hadn't had time to consider the possibility. There are 21 other people running, including front-runners like former U.S. Attorney Jenny Durkan and former mayor Mike McGinn.

Murray on Wednesday afternoon called the entire experience "painful."

"This lawsuit was a painful experience. It was a painful experience for victims of sexual abuse; a painful experience for vulnerable people who seem to be exploited by an attorney with a publicity agenda," Murray said, referring to Lincoln C. Beauregard, the attorney who represented Heckard.

Beauregard has been fined during this lawsuit over violations of court rules. In early May, Beauregard was fined $5,000 for his "inappropriate tone" in court filings and proceedings.

Murray has denied the allegations since the suit was filed.

The lawsuit alleged that Murray paid Heckard for sex in 1986 when Heckard was 15; the suit also alleged that Murray raped Heckard. Murray has pushed back against the allegations hard. He has held public press conferences and released statements denying the allegations.

In the suit, Heckard described specific parts of Murray's body, including a mole on his scrotum. Through his lawyer, Murray publicly revealed the results of a physical exam that refuted Heckard's description of the mayor's alleged mole.

Heckard's filing was first reported Wednesday by the Seattle Times.

Image via City of Seattle