Tuba_Man.jpg
Ed McMichael or 'Tuba Man' at a game. (AP Photo)

Teen brags about murder; Tuba Man's brother reacts

BY Stephanie Klein  on January 19, 2011 @ 6:33 am (Updated: 1:30 pm - 3/28/11 )

By STEPHANIE KLEIN
MyNorthwest.com

The brother of a Seattle street musician who died after he was beat by a group of teenagers is upset one of the killers is bragging about the crime.

Kelsey McMichael told KIRO Radio's Dori Monson on Wednesday, "The bottom line is there was no justice for Ed at all. No justice. They killed him."

Listen: McMichael's interview

King County Sheriff's Sergeant John Urquhart said Billy Chambers, 18, was arrested Monday night after causing a disturbance aboard a Metro Bus at the Northgate transit center. He allegedly refused to pay the fare and stopped the bus from pulling away.

Urquhart said when officers arrived, "[Chambers] bragged how his lawyer got him off with only three months after stomping 'Tuba Man' to death. He went on to say that his lawyer would get him off of these charges as well."

Listen to Urquhart's interview

Chambers was one of three teens who beat McMichaels or 'Tuba Man' in November 2008. McMichaels died from his injuries a week later. He was well-known in the Seattle area for playing outside sporting and entertainment events.

Chambers spent three months in juvenile detention for McMichael's death.

"On his death certificate it says cause of death: Homicide. And what did they get? A few months for assault. That's it," McMichaels said. "There was nothing we could do. We felt helpless even though the prosecutors tried to keep us informed about all aspects of the investigation, but there was just nothing we could do about it."

Urquhart said Chambers was issued two tickets: one for obstructing or delaying a transit vehicle, which is a misdemeanor, and another for false representation that his group was eligible for a special fare, which is also a misdemeanor. Chambers was booked into King County Jail, but has been released.

Urquhart explained that Chambers was let go the next day after an equipment malfunction prevented prosecutors from receiving the case report in time to present to the judge. He said Chambers booked into jail based on his conduct Monday night and nothing more.

Chambers was also released two weeks ago after serving time for another robbery.

KIRO Radio's Dan Mitchinson contributed to this report.

Stephanie Klein, MyNorthwest.com Editor
Stephanie joined the MyNorthwest.com team in February 2008. She has built the site into a two-time National Edward R. Murrow Award winner (Best Radio Website 2010, 2012).
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Comments (51)


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  • jpetro wrote...
    hawkfan
    January 20, 2011 10:15 am
    is right. If Tuba Man was black and the teens who beat/killed him were white, this would be a hate crime,the ACLU would be out for blood and the 3 kids would still be in jail...TRUTH HURTS
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