MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Attorney: Heart of complaint against Seattle mayor is false

Apr 11, 2017, 5:40 PM | Updated: 7:21 pm

Murray, rape charges...

Murray's private attorney Bob Sulkin said the description of Murray's physical appearance -- which is the "heart of the allegations" against Mayor Murray -- are false. (KIRO 7)

(KIRO 7)

The attorney representing Seattle Mayor Ed Murray in a sex-abuse lawsuit says a physical examination debunks the claims filed against him.

RELATED: Seattle City Council to remain quiet on sex-abuse allegations

In the complaint for damages, a man identified as D.H., who claims he was sexually abused by Murray in his former Capitol Hill apartment, made specific remarks regarding the mayor’s body and a mole on his genitalia.

With documents in hand on Tuesday evening, Murray’s private attorney Bob Sulkin said the description of Murray’s physical appearance — which is at the “heart of the allegations” — is false. An examination found no mole or evidence of removal.

Sulkin added that a 2015 examination was “found no abnormalities in that area.”

“This is game-changing,” he said, adding that this proves the case has no credibility, “and should be dropped.”

LISTEN: Mayor’s attorney provides evidence against rape allegations

D.H. alleges the mayor molested and raped him as a teenager in the 1980s.

D.H. was a troubled youth who was homeless, using drugs, and whose parents were also addicted to drugs. According to The Seattle Times, the man — then a teen — was addicted to crack-cocaine. Court documents state that the teen met Murray on the bus and the two “developed a friendly interaction.” Murray was 32 years old at the time.

In the lawsuit, D.H. describes the inside of Murray’s former Capitol apartment, gives his old phone number, and describes the mayor’s genitalia.  The Seattle Times reports two other men have accused Murray of sexual abuse in the past decade.

Sulkin argued that knowing someone’s old phone number or what the inside of an apartment from 30 years ago looked like is not enough to accuse someone of illicit sex. He said the fingerprint in the case was the description of the mayor’s genitalia “and it’s false.”

The mayor’s attorney went on to say that there is no credibility to the original Seattle Times story reporting the lawsuit against the mayor.

“In my view, The Seattle Times rushed to publish this story without giving us a chance to debunk it was extraordinarily unfair to the mayor,” Sulkin said. “He’s in the midst of a mayoral campaign and trying to put the feathers back in that pillow is going to be very difficult.”

Listen to the mayor’s statement

Mayor Murray says he will not step down and will continue his mayoral campaign. DH.’s attorney, Lincoln Beauregard, sent a letter to Sulkin to request a deposition in May. Beauregard is offering his client for deposition as soon as this week.

MyNorthwest News

Bellevue crash...

MyNorthwest Staff

4 lanes blocked on I-405 south in Bellevue due to a crash

Four lanes are blocked on I-405 south in Bellevue due to a collision.

20 minutes ago

Light rail Pinehurst Station Sound Transit...

Lexi Herda, KIRO 7 News

Sound Transit announces opening date for Link light rail’s Pinehurst Station

Sound Transit announces opening date for Link light rail’s Pinehurst Station

27 minutes ago

cherry hill apartment fire rescue...

Jason Sutich

Student officer on first shift of his career helps rescue residents from burning Seattle apartment

Two Seattle Police Department officers ran into a burning apartment building on Cherry Hill Monday morning and rescued a 28-year-old man among several others.

2 hours ago

bainbridge island pilot crash...

KIRO 7 News Staff

18-year-old Bainbridge Island pilot crashes plane into Cispus River

An 18-year-old Bainbridge Island pilot crashed into the Cispus River in Randle around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1.

3 hours ago

hammer attack suspect...

James Lynch

Prosecutors file attempted murder charge in downtown Seattle hammer attack

King County prosecutors have charged Bey Mateen Muhammed, 23, with attempted murder in a hammer attack in Seattle.

3 hours ago

Puyallup Police car...

MyNorthwest Staff

Driver arrested for DUI after hitting pedestrian in Puyallup

A driver was arrested for alleged DUI after reportedly hitting a pedestrian in Puyallup.

5 hours ago

Attorney: Heart of complaint against Seattle mayor is false